Shloka 17

Vidura’s Message to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Authorization for Dāna and Public Welfare (विदुरवाक्यम्—दानानुज्ञा)

Devanagari script

पाण्डु: स्मरति ते नित्यं बलहन्तु: समीपग: । त्वां सदैव महाराज श्रेयसा स च योक्ष्यति

Transliteration

pāṇḍuḥ smarati te nityaṁ balahantuḥ samīpagaḥ | tvāṁ sadaiva mahārāja śreyasā sa ca yokṣyati ||

Translation

Nārada said: “Pāṇḍu, who dwells near the slayer of Bala (Indra), remembers you unceasingly. O great king, he ever keeps you in mind, and he will surely link you to welfare and blessedness.”

Word by Word

• पाण्डुः: Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्मरति: remembers
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ते: of you / your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• बलहन्तुः: of the slayer of Bala (Indra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलहन्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• समीपगः: dwelling near / being close
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समीपग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• सदैव: always indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा + एव

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• श्रेयसा: with welfare / with auspicious good
• श्रेयसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• योक्ष्यति: will unite (you) / will yoke (you) (to welfare)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज्
• Form: Future, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pāṇḍu
• Indra (Balahantṛ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even after death, bonds of kinship and goodwill can remain meaningful: the verse emphasizes constant remembrance and the assurance of śreyas (welfare/auspicious good), suggesting that righteous relations and blessings transcend immediate worldly loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada consoles and informs the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) about Pāṇḍu’s state: Pāṇḍu dwells near Indra in the celestial realm, remembers the king continually, and is portrayed as a source of auspicious benefit for him.