Shloka 14
धृतराष्ट्रोपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Rājadharma and Bala
इति मामब्रवीद् राजा पार्थश्चवैव धनंजय: । यदत्रानन्तरं कार्य तद् भवान् वक्तुमरहति,“इस प्रकार राजा युधिष्ठिर और अर्जुनने मुझसे बार-बार कहा है। अब इसके बाद जो कार्य करना हो, उसे आप बताइये”
iti mām abravīd rājā pārthaś caiva dhanañjayaḥ | yad atrānantaraṁ kāryaṁ tad bhavān vaktum arhati ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „So wandten sich König Yudhiṣṭhira und Arjuna—der Sohn der Pṛthā, Dhanañjaya—immer wieder an mich: ‚Was soll in dieser Sache als Nächstes getan werden? Du bist derjenige, der es uns zu sagen vermag.‘“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic decision-making through humility and proper reliance on qualified counsel: even powerful leaders (Yudhiṣṭhira and Arjuna) seek guidance on the ‘next right action’ (anantaraṁ kāryam) from one deemed competent to direct them.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Yudhiṣṭhira and Arjuna repeatedly request him to state what should be done next. The line functions as a transition, handing narrative and moral initiative to the advisor/speaker to prescribe the subsequent course of action.