Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

विपरीतकश्न मे शत्रुर्नियम्यश्न भवेन्नर: । राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े दयालु थे। वे सदा प्रसन्न रहकर अपने भाइयों और मन्त्रियोंसे कहा करते थे कि “ये राजा धृतराष्ट्र मेरे और आपलोगोंके माननीय हैं। जो इनकी आज्ञाके अधीन रहता है

Transliteration

viparītakṛc ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ |

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “A man who acts contrary (to my command and to proper conduct) is my enemy; but one who is restrained and obedient becomes (counted as) my own.” In this context, King Yudhiṣṭhira—renowned for compassion—repeatedly reminded his brothers and ministers that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was worthy of honor for them all, and that loyalty expressed through compliance with the elder king’s directives was the mark of friendship, while defiance would invite punishment.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'viparīta', 'definition': 'contrary, opposite

• acting against (instruction/dharma)'}, {'term': 'kṛt (implicit in viparītakṛt)', 'definition': 'one who does/acts

• doer (here: one who behaves contrary)'}, {'term': 'me', 'definition': 'of me, my'}, {'term': 'śatruḥ', 'definition': 'enemy'}, {'term': 'niyamyaḥ', 'definition': 'to be restrained/controlled

• disciplined, obedient'}, {'term': 'bhavet', 'definition': 'would be, becomes'}, {'term': 'naraḥ', 'definition': 'man, person'}]

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Friendship and social harmony are defined by disciplined adherence to rightful authority and dharmic instruction; deliberate contrariness is treated as enmity and becomes liable to punishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira’s policy and counsel: he honors Dhṛtarāṣṭra as an elder worthy of reverence and tells his brothers and ministers that those who follow Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s directives are allies, while those who oppose them are to be regarded as enemies.