Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

न्यायतः: श्वशुरे वृत्तिं प्रयुज्य प्रययुस्तत: । श्वश्रृभ्यां समनुज्ञाता: परिष्वज्याभिनन्दिता:

Transliteration

nyāyataḥ śvaśure vṛttiṁ prayujya prayayus tataḥ | śvaśrūbhyāṁ samanujñātāḥ pariṣvajyābhinanditāḥ ||

Translation

Nachdem sie ihrem Schwiegervater in gebührender Weise Dienst und angemessenes Verhalten erwiesen hatten, brachen sie auf. Mit der Erlaubnis ihrer Schwiegermütter zogen sie fort—umarmt und herzlich gesegnet—und handelten nach dem, was recht und geziemend ist.

Word by Word

न्यायतःaccording to propriety/justice, duly

श्वशुरेin/at the father-in-law (i.e., in his house/presence)

वृत्तिम्conduct, mode of life, behavior

प्रयुज्यhaving practiced/applied

प्रययुःthey departed/went forth

ततःthen, thereafter

श्वश्रूभ्याम्by the two mothers-in-law

समनुज्ञाताःhaving been permitted/allowed

परिष्वज्यhaving embraced

अभिनन्दिताःhaving been greeted/congratulated

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

य

युधिष्ठिर (speaker)

श

श्वशुर (father-in-law)

श

श्वश्रू (mothers-in-law)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma as propriety in relationships: one should fulfill due obligations toward elders (here, in-laws), seek consent before departing, and preserve harmony through respectful leave-taking.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes a departure scene: after behaving appropriately and rendering due service to the father-in-law, the group leaves only after receiving permission from the mothers-in-law, who embrace and bless them.