Shloka 136
धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance
अयशस्यमतोडन््यत् स्यादधर्मश्न महाभुज । 'पुरुषसिंह! अतः आप उन्हें धन देनेके सिवा दूसरा कोई दृष्टिकोण न अपनावें। महाबाहो! उनकी याचना ठुकरा देनेसे बढ़कर हमारे लिये और कोई कलंककी बात न होगी। उन्हें धन न देनेसे हमें अधर्मका भी भागी होना पड़ेगा
ayasyam ato 'nyat syād adharmas ca mahābhuja | puruṣasiṁha ataḥ tān dhana-dānena vinā nānyad upāyaṁ gṛhṇīyāḥ | mahābāho teṣāṁ yācanā-pratiṣedhāt paraṁ naḥ kaluṣaṁ kiñcid asti | adānena ca asmābhir adharmabhāgibhis bhavitavyam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O mighty-armed one, there can be no greater disgrace than refusing them; and it would also make us sharers in unrighteousness. O lion among men, therefore adopt no other course except giving them wealth. O strong-armed one, for us there is no stain worse than turning away their request; and by withholding gifts we would inevitably incur a portion of adharma.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that refusing rightful supplicants brings both social disgrace (loss of yaśas) and moral fault (adharma). For a ruler or noble person, generosity is presented as the ethically safest and most dharmic course.
Vaiśampāyana urges a heroic addressee to respond to petitioners by giving wealth, warning that denying their request would create a serious blemish and make the giver culpable in adharma.