Shloka 6

धृतराष्ट्र-सेवा, राज्य-कार्य-विभागः

Service to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Allocation of State Duties

Devanagari script

यदि चाहमनुग्राह्मो भवतां सुहृदां तथा । धृतराष्ट्रे यथापूर्व वृत्तिं वर्तितुमरहथ

Transliteration

yadi cāham anugrāhyo bhavatāṃ suhṛdāṃ tathā | dhṛtarāṣṭre yathāpūrvaṃ vṛttiṃ vartitum arhatha ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Wenn ihr mir wirklich Gunst erweisen wollt, ihr wohlgesinnten Freunde, dann sollt ihr euch König Dhṛtarāṣṭra gegenüber weiterhin so verhalten wie zuvor—mit derselben Gesinnung und derselben Art der Behandlung.“

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• अनुग्राह्यः: to be favored / one who should be shown favor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुग्राह्य
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भवताम्: of you (honorific plural)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• सुहृदाम्: of friends / well-wishers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• तथा: thus / in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• धृतराष्ट्रे: towards/in the case of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• यथा: as / just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पूर्वम्: formerly / before
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• वृत्तिम्: conduct / behavior / attitude
• वृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• वर्तितुम्: to behave / to conduct oneself
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: infinitive (tumun)

• अर्हथ: you ought / you are fit (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: present indicative (lat), second, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes ethical continuity in relationships: even after upheaval, one should maintain respectful, steady conduct toward an elder king like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, guided by goodwill (suhṛt-bhāva) rather than shifting emotions or political convenience.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating events, conveys an appeal to the assembled well-wishers: if they wish to show him favor, they should keep treating Dhṛtarāṣṭra with the same regard and behavior they had shown earlier, preserving established courtesies and obligations.