Shloka 35
Pāṇḍu’s Marriages, Conquests, and Triumphal Return (पाण्डोर्विवाह-विजय-प्रत्यागमनम्)
बुद्धि न कुरुतेडपत्ये तथा राज्यानुशासने । सत्वं व्यपेक्षया भ्रातु:ः संतानाय कुलस्य च
buddhiṁ na kurute ’patye tathā rājyānuśāsane | sattvaṁ vyapekṣayā bhrātuḥ santānāya kulasya ca ||
Vaiśampāyana said: He does not apply his judgment either to securing offspring or to the proper governance of the kingdom; instead, out of regard for his brother’s welfare and for the continuation of the family line, he restrains himself and acts with that consideration in view.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic tension between personal prudence in matters of heirs and governance versus prioritizing the brother’s welfare and the continuity of the dynasty; it praises restraint and family-centered responsibility over self-assertion.
Vaiśampāyana describes a figure who refrains from asserting his own counsel or initiative regarding producing heirs and ruling the kingdom, choosing instead to act with deference to his brother and with the aim of preserving the family line.