Shloka 48

Vyāsa’s Inquiry into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Tapas and the Identification of Vidura with Dharma

Devanagari script

अनुजज्ञे स कौरव्य: परिष्वज्याभिनन्द्य च | गान्धार्या चाभ्यनुज्ञाता: कृतपादाभिवादना:

Transliteration

anujajñe sa kauravyaḥ pariṣvajyābhinandya ca | gāndhāryā cābhyanujñātaḥ kṛtapādābhivādanāḥ ||

Translation

Darauf gewährte jener Kaurava (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) die Erlaubnis—er umarmte sie und segnete sie. Und nachdem sie Gāndhārī in gebührender Weise zu Füßen gegrüßt hatten, erhielten sie auch von ihr den Abschied. Der Augenblick betont die Ethik des ehrerbietigen Aufbruchs: selbst in Trauer und Entsagung werden die Ältesten geehrt, und vor der Trennung wird um Zustimmung gebeten.

Word by Word

अनुजज्ञेgave permission/assented

सःhe

कौरव्यःthe Kaurava (Dhritarashtra)

परिष्वज्यhaving embraced

अभिनन्द्यhaving greeted/congratulated

चand

गान्धार्याःfrom Gandhari

चalso/and

अभ्यनुज्ञाताःwere permitted/received leave

कृतhaving done

पादfeet

अभिवादनाःsalutations/bowings

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Gāndhārī

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in times of sorrow and withdrawal from worldly life, dharma is upheld through honoring elders—seeking their consent, offering respectful salutations (especially at the feet), and parting with goodwill rather than resentment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra gives leave to depart, embracing and blessing; Gāndhārī also grants permission after the proper gesture of reverence—bowing at her feet—marking a formal, dharmic farewell.