Shloka 186
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Śrāddha Request and Bhīma’s Objection (Āśramavāsika-parva, Adhyāya 17)
संध्यागतं सहस्रांशुमुपातिष्ठत भारत । भरतनन्दन! फिर बूढ़े राजा धृतराष्ट्रने भी अग्निको प्रकट एवं प्रज्वलित किया। त्रिविध अग्नियोंकी उपासना करके उनमें विधिपूर्वक आहुति दे राजाने संध्याकालिक सूर्यदेवका उपस्थान किया
saṃdhyāgataṃ sahasrāṃśum upātiṣṭhata bhārata | bharatanandana dhṛtarāṣṭro 'pi vṛddharājāgnim prakaṭya prajvālya trividham agnīn upāsya teṣu vidhivat āhutīr hutvā saṃdhyākālikaṃ sūryadevam upātiṣṭhat |
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O Bhārata, when the sun of a thousand rays had reached the time of twilight, the aged king Dhṛtarāṣṭra also brought forth and kindled the sacred fire. Having worshipped the three fires and offered oblations into them according to rule, the king performed the evening reverence to the Sun.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after great loss and moral failure, one can uphold dharma through disciplined daily duties—here, the evening worship and Vedic fire-rites—signaling steadiness, restraint, and a turn toward purification in the final phase of life.
At twilight, Dhṛtarāṣṭra kindles the sacred fires, worships the three ritual fires, offers oblations properly, and then performs the evening reverence to the Sun, as narrated by Vaiśaṃpāyana.