Shloka 8
धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्षमायाचनं तथा युधिष्ठिरे न्यासदानम् / Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Forgiveness and the Entrustment to Yudhiṣṭhira
वृकोदर: फाल्गुनश्चैव वीरौ माद्रीपुत्रौ विदुरः संजयश्च । वैश्यापुत्र: सहितो गौतमेन धौम्यो विदप्राश्चान्वयुर्बाष्पकण्ठा:,तत्पश्चात् युधिष्ठिरसहित भीमसेन, अर्जुन, वीर माद्रीकुमार, विदुर, संजय, वैश्यापुत्र युयुत्सु, कृपाचार्य, धौम्य तथा और भी बहुत-से ब्राह्मण आँसू बहाते हुए गद्गदकण्ठ होकर उनके पीछे-पीछे चले। आगे-आगे कुन्ती अपने कंधेपर रखे हुए गान्धारीके हाथको पकड़े चल रही थीं। उनके पीछे आँखोंपर पट्टी बाँधे गान्धारी थी और राजा धुृतराष्ट्र गान्धारीके कंधेपर हाथ रखे निश्चिन्ततापूर्वक चले जा रहे थे
vaśiṣṭha uvāca
vṛkodaraḥ phālgunaś caiva vīrau mādrīputrau viduraḥ saṃjayaś ca | vaiśyāputraḥ sahito gautamena dhaumyo dvijaprāś cānvayur bāṣpakaṇṭhāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Bhīma (Vṛkodara) and Arjuna (Phālguna), the two heroic sons of Mādrī (Nakula and Sahadeva), Vidura and Sañjaya, and Yuyutsu—the son of a Vaiśya woman—together with Gautama (Kṛpa), Dhaumya, and many other brāhmaṇas followed behind them, their throats choked with tears. (In the continuing scene) Kuntī walked in front holding Gāndhārī’s hand upon her shoulder; behind her came blindfolded Gāndhārī, while King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, resting his hand on Gāndhārī’s shoulder, proceeded with quiet trust.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma expressed as compassionate accompaniment and reverence toward elders even after devastating conflict: the victors do not abandon the aged and afflicted; instead they follow them with humility and shared grief, acknowledging moral responsibility beyond political outcomes.
As Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī, and Kuntī proceed toward forest life, the principal Pāṇḍavas and respected elders—Vidura, Sañjaya, Yuyutsu, Kṛpa, Dhaumya, and many brāhmaṇas—walk behind them, overcome with emotion, indicating a solemn departure from royal life into renunciation.