Shloka 20

धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts

Devanagari script

तेन तस्याभवत्‌ प्रीतो वृत्तेन स नराधिप:

Transliteration

tena tasyābhavat prīto vṛttena sa narādhipaḥ | viparītaś ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ ||

Translation

By such conduct, that king became pleased. Yudhiṣṭhira, ever gentle in disposition, would remain cheerful and tell his brothers and ministers: “King Dhṛtarāṣṭra is worthy of honor for me and for you all. Whoever lives in obedience to his command is my well-wisher; whoever acts contrary is my enemy and will incur my punishment.”

Word by Word

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अभवत्: became/was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular

• प्रीतः: pleased
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (from √प्री)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृत्तेन: by (good) conduct/behavior
• वृत्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

• नराधिपः: king (lord of men)
• नराधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विपरीत: contrary/opposite
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कश्चित्: someone/anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: my
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• शत्रुः: enemy
• शत्रुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नियम्य: having restrained/controlled
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√यम्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• अस्मान्: us
• अस्मान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Plural

• भवेत्: should be/becomes
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3, Singular

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should uphold dharma through respectful governance: honoring elders and legitimate authority, rewarding loyal obedience, and restraining those who act in defiance of rightful command.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes how Yudhiṣṭhira’s steady, respectful conduct pleased the king, and how Yudhiṣṭhira instructed his brothers and ministers to treat Dhṛtarāṣṭra as venerable—counting obedience to him as friendship and opposition as enmity deserving discipline.