Vyāsa’s Inquiry into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Tapas and the Identification of Vidura with Dharma
युधिष्ठिरमुवाचेदं बाष्पव्याकुललोचन: । यह सुनकर योद्धाओंके स्वामी महाबाहु सहदेव अपने दोनों नेत्रोंमें आँसू भरकर युधिष्ठिस्से इस प्रकार बोले--
yudhiṣṭhiram uvācedaṃ bāṣpa-vyākula-locanaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana sagte: Mit von Tränen getrübten Augen sprach er diese Worte zu Yudhiṣṭhira—ein Zeichen überströmender Trauer und Ehrfurcht, da der jüngere Bruder sich anschickt, den König in einem Augenblick anzureden, der von familiärer Pflicht und moralischem Gewicht erfüllt ist.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse foregrounds the ethical seriousness of speech in moments of sorrow: tears and emotional agitation are not merely personal feelings but part of dharmic responsiveness—compassion, humility, and reverence shape how one addresses a righteous king and elder.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana introduces a speech directed to Yudhiṣṭhira. The speaker’s tear-filled eyes indicate intense grief and urgency, preparing the listener for an emotionally and morally significant statement within the Āśramavāsika setting.