Shloka 16
धृतराष्ट्र–दुर्योधन संवादः
Vāraṇāvata-vivāsana-nīti: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana’s Policy Dialogue
ज्ञात्वा द्विजस्य चापत्ये धनुर्वेदान्तगस्य ह । स राज्ञे दर्शयामास मिथुनं सशरं धनु:,तदनन्तर गौतमनन्दन शरद्वानके उसी वीर्यसे एक पुत्र और एक कन्याकी उत्पत्ति हुई। उस दिन दैवेच्छासे राजा शन्तनु वनमें शिकार खेलने आये थे। उनके किसी सैनिकने वनमें उन युगल संतानोंको देखा। वहाँ बाणसहित धनुष और काला मृगचर्म देखकर उसने यह जान लिया कि “ये दोनों किसी धरनुर्वेदके पारंगत विद्वान ब्राह्मणकी संतानें हैं” ऐसा निश्चय होनेपर उसने राजाको वे दोनों बालक और बाणसहित धनुष दिखाया। राजा उन्हें देखते ही कृपाके वशीभूत हो गये और उन दोनोंको साथ ले अपने घर आ गये। वे किसीके पूछनेपर यही परिचय देते थे कि “ये दोनों मेरी ही संतानें हैं"
jñātvā dvijasya cāpatye dhanurvedāntagasy ha | sa rājñe darśayāmāsa mithunaṃ saśaraṃ dhanuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Having recognized that the two children were the offspring of a brahmin accomplished in the highest mastery of archery, the man presented to the king the pair of infants together with the bow and its arrows. The sight of the weapon and the black antelope-skin signaled disciplined training and noble lineage; moved by compassion, King Śantanu took the children into his care, and they were thereafter introduced as his own.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights a ruler’s dharma of protection: recognizing signs of disciplined upbringing and noble conduct, the king responds with compassion and assumes responsibility for vulnerable children.
A man (from the king’s party) identifies two infants as the offspring of a brahmin expert in archery by the presence of a bow, arrows, and black antelope-skin, and then shows them to King Śantanu, who takes them home and has them presented as his own.