Shloka 25
तथा विट्शूद्रसंघानामभवत् स प्रियस्तदा । युधिष्ठिर ब्राह्मणों और क्षत्रियोंके साथ जैसा सद्बर्ताव करते थे, वैसा ही वैश्यों और शूद्रोंक साथ भी करते थे। इसलिये वे उन दिनों सबके प्रिय हो गये थे ।। यच्च किंचित् तदा पापं धृतराष्ट्रसुतै: कृतम्,विपरीतकश्न मे शत्रुर्नियम्यश्न भवेन्नर: । राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े दयालु थे। वे सदा प्रसन्न रहकर अपने भाइयों और मन्त्रियोंसे कहा करते थे कि “ये राजा धृतराष्ट्र मेरे और आपलोगोंके माननीय हैं। जो इनकी आज्ञाके अधीन रहता है, वही मेरा सुहृद् है। विपरीत आचरण करनेवाला मेरा शत्रु है। वह मेरे दण्डका भागी होगा
tathā viṭśūdrasaṅghānām abhavat sa priyas tadā | yac ca kiñcit tadā pāpaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭrasutaiḥ kṛtam, viparītakṛc ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: At that time Yudhiṣṭhira became dear even to the communities of Vaiśyas and Śūdras, for he treated them with the same upright regard that he showed to Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas. And as for whatever wrongdoing had been committed earlier by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, the king—greatly compassionate and ever composed—would tell his brothers and ministers: “This King Dhṛtarāṣṭra is worthy of honor from me and from you. Whoever remains obedient to his command is my friend; whoever acts in opposition is my enemy and will be subject to restraint and punishment.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A righteous king practices impartial respect and humane conduct across social groups, while upholding order: honoring elders like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, rewarding obedience, and restraining deliberate opposition through just discipline.
Vaiśampāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira’s conduct after the war: he becomes beloved by all classes due to equal, courteous treatment, and he instructs his circle to regard Dhṛtarāṣṭra as honorable, defining loyalty to Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s directives as friendship and defiance as punishable enmity.