Shloka 18
धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts
यद् यद् ब्रूते च किंचित् स धृतराष्ट्री जनाधिप:
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
yad yad brūte ca kiṃcit sa dhṛtarāṣṭrī janādhipaḥ |
viparītakaś ca me śatrur niyamyas ca bhaven naraḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Whatever King Dhṛtarāṣṭra commands in any matter—he is a lord of the people—whoever acts in accordance with him is to be regarded as my well-wisher; but whoever behaves contrary to his word is my enemy and must be restrained and disciplined.” In this way Yudhiṣṭhira, ever gentle and composed, publicly bound his own authority to reverence for the elder king, making obedience to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a measure of loyalty and dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate authority is exercised through humility and dharma: Yudhiṣṭhira treats the elder Dhṛtarāṣṭra as worthy of honor and makes loyalty measurable by obedience to the elder’s rightful commands, while also affirming that disorderly, contrary conduct must be restrained for the sake of social stability.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira governs with deference to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He declares that those who follow Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s instructions are his friends, and those who oppose them are to be treated as enemies and disciplined—showing his commitment to honoring elders and maintaining order.