Shloka 19
धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts
गुरु वा लघु वा कार्य गान्धारी च तपस्विनी । तं स राजा महाराज पाण्डवानां धुरंधर:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
guru vā laghu vā kāryaṃ gāndhārī ca tapasvinī |
taṃ sa rājā mahārāja pāṇḍavānāṃ dhuraṃdharaḥ |
viparītakṛc chna me śatrur niyamya kṛc chna bhaven naraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: Whether the task be weighty or light, and with Gāndhārī—herself a woman of austerity—King Yudhiṣṭhira, the great king and steadfast bearer of the Pāṇḍavas’ burden, declared a rule of conduct: “Dhṛtarāṣṭra is worthy of honor for me and for you all. Whoever lives in obedience to his command is my well-wisher; whoever acts in opposition is my enemy and will incur my punishment.” In this way Yudhiṣṭhira frames loyalty and discipline not as personal preference but as an ethical duty toward elders and the rightful order within the household of the realm.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira defines ethical governance as disciplined respect toward elders and established authority: honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and treating obedience to him as a marker of friendship, while opposition becomes a breach of order warranting royal correction.
In the Āśramavāsika context, after the war, Yudhiṣṭhira instructs his brothers and ministers to treat Dhṛtarāṣṭra (and by association Gāndhārī) with honor; he sets a clear policy that those who follow Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s directives are allies, and those who defy them will be punished.