Shloka 31

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

प्रकृष्ट च यया पुत्र पुण्यं चीर्ण यथाबलम्‌

Transliteration

prakṛṣṭa ca yayā putra puṇyaṃ cīrṇaṃ yathābalam

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra sprach: „Und, mein Sohn, durch sie (jene Frau) ist vortreffliches Verdienst geübt und angesammelt worden, so gut es ihre Kraft vermochte.“

Word by Word

• प्रकृष्टम्: excellent, superior (thing/act)
• प्रकृष्टम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृष्ट (प्र + कृ धातु से निष्पन्न कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यया: by whom/with which (woman)
• यया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक: या-)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• पुत्र: O son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुण्यम्: merit, virtuous deed
• पुण्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चीर्णम्: practised, performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चीर्ण (क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यथाबलम्: according to (one's) strength; as much as possible
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + बल (अव्ययीभाव)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Merit and righteousness are measured not only by the greatness of the act but by sincere practice within one’s capacity (yathābalam). Ethical effort is praised when it is earnest and proportionate to one’s strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses his son and commends a woman’s exemplary conduct, stating that she has undertaken and fulfilled virtuous practices to the best of her ability—highlighting her moral and ascetic worth within the Ashramavāsika setting.