Shloka 2

Vidura’s Message to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Authorization for Dāna and Public Welfare (विदुरवाक्यम्—दानानुज्ञा)

Devanagari script

द्वैपायन: सशिष्यश्नष सिद्धाक्षान्ये मनीषिण: । शतयूपश्न राजर्षिव॑द्ध: परमधार्मिक:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! तदनन्तर वहाँ राजा धृतराष्ट्रसे मिलनेके लिये नारद, पर्वत, महातपस्वी देवल, शिष्योंसहित महर्षि व्यास तथा अन्यान्य सिद्धू, मनीषी, श्रेष्ठ मुनिगण आये। उनके साथ परम धर्मात्मा वृद्ध राजर्षि शतयूप भी पधारे थे

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca — Dvaipāyanaḥ saśiṣyaś ca siddhāś cānye manīṣiṇaḥ | śatayūpaś ca rājarṣir vṛddhaḥ paramadhārmikaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da kam Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) mit seinen Schülern, begleitet von anderen Vollendeten und weisen Sehern. Mit ihnen erschien auch der betagte königliche Rishi Śatayūpa, ein Mann höchster Rechtschaffenheit—gekommen, um König Dhṛtarāṣṭra zu begegnen. Diese Szene unterstreicht die sittliche Schwere von Dhṛtarāṣṭras Waldleben: Die geistig Vollendeten versammeln sich nicht zum Schauspiel, sondern um das Dharma zu ehren und einen König am Ende seines Lebens zur inneren Geradheit zu führen.

Word by Word

द्वैपायनःDvaipayana (Vyasa)

स-शिष्यःwith disciples

सिद्धाःSiddhas (perfected beings)

अन्येothers

मनीषिणःwise men/sages

शतयूपःShatayupa (a king-sage)

राजर्षि-वृद्धःan aged royal sage

परम-धार्मिकःsupremely righteous

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)

disciples of Vyāsa

Siddhas

Manīṣins (wise sages)

Śatayūpa

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma at the end of life: when a ruler enters forest-discipline, the truly accomplished (sages, siddhas) gather to support ethical clarity and spiritual steadiness. Righteousness is portrayed as a living standard that draws the company of the wise.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Dhṛtarāṣṭra has taken to forest life, eminent figures—Vyāsa with disciples, other siddhas and sages, and the aged royal sage Śatayūpa—arrive to meet him, marking a significant moment of counsel and sanctification around the retired king.