Shloka 116
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
ऋषिभिर्यत्तदा5<नीता धार्तराष्ट्रान् प्रति स््वयम् । शिशवश्चाभिरूपाश्न जटिला ब्रह्मब॒चारिण:,(पाण्डुकी मृत्यु होनेके पश्चात्) बड़े-बड़े ऋषि-मुनि स्वयं ही पाण्डवोंको लेकर धृतराष्ट्र एवं उनके पुत्रोंक पास आये। उस समय पाण्डव नन््हे-नन््हे शिशुके रूपमें बड़े ही सुन्दर लगते थे। वे सिरपर जटा धारण किये ब्रह्मचारीके वेशमें थे
ṛṣibhir yat tadā nītā dhārtarāṣṭrān prati svayam | śiśavaś cābhirūpāś ca jaṭilā brahmacāriṇaḥ ||
After Pāṇḍu’s death, great seers themselves brought the Pāṇḍavas to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons. At that time the Pāṇḍavas appeared as very young children, handsome to behold, wearing matted locks and the dress of celibate students—an image that underscores their innocence and the elders’ duty to protect and educate them within the Kuru household.
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma in the form of guardianship and responsibility: when vulnerable heirs are left fatherless, elders and the wider moral community (here, the ṛṣis) ensure their safe placement, proper upbringing, and education. The brahmacārin appearance emphasizes discipline, purity, and the expectation of righteous formation before power and kingship.
Following Pāṇḍu’s death, sages escort the young Pāṇḍavas to the Kuru court, presenting them to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons. The children are described as small, handsome, and dressed as brahmacārins with matted hair, setting the stage for their residence under Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s care and the later tensions within the Kuru family.