Shloka 30
धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts
राजानमनुवर्तन्तं धर्मपुत्रममित्रहा । अन्ववर्तत कौरव्यो हृदयेन पराड्मुख:
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
rājānam anuvartantaṃ dharmaputram amitrahā |
anvavartata kauravyo hṛdayena parāṅmukhaḥ ||
viparītakaś ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira—destroyer of foes—conduct himself in deference to the king, the Kuru hero Bhīmasena also outwardly followed that course; yet in his heart he remained turned away from Dhṛtarāṣṭra. For Yudhiṣṭhira had declared that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was worthy of honor for him and for all; whoever stayed within the king’s command was his well-wisher, but one who acted in opposition was his enemy and would be restrained and punished.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical governance distinguishes between loyalty to rightful authority and opposition to it: Yudhiṣṭhira frames obedience to the honored elder-king as the mark of a well-wisher, while deliberate contrariness becomes enmity deserving restraint. The verse also highlights the moral tension between outward discipline and inward feeling—Bhīma conforms externally, yet his heart remains unwilling.
In the aftermath of the great war, Yudhiṣṭhira treats Dhṛtarāṣṭra with honor and aligns his conduct with the elder king’s wishes. Observing this, Bhīma also follows suit in behavior, but he cannot reconcile inwardly and remains emotionally turned away from Dhṛtarāṣṭra.