Shloka 39

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

vaiparītyakṛc ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Whoever acts contrary to my command is my enemy; but the man who lives in restraint and under discipline—obedient to the king’s injunctions—becomes one of my own.” In this context, Yudhiṣṭhira, known for compassion and steady cheerfulness, repeatedly told his brothers and ministers that King Dhṛtarāṣṭra was worthy of reverence; loyalty to Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s orders was to be treated as loyalty to Yudhiṣṭhira himself, while defiance would invite punishment.

Word by Word

• {'viparīta': 'contrary, opposite, acting against (proper conduct or command)', 'kṛt (kṛc)': 'doing, acting

• one who performs (an action)', 'me': 'my', 'śatruḥ': 'enemy', 'niyamya': 'restrained, self-controlled

• acting under rule/discipline', 'bhavet': 'would be, becomes', 'naraḥ': 'man, person', 'ājñā': 'command, order (implied by the narrative context)', 'daṇḍa': 'punishment, royal chastisement (implied by the narrative context)', 'suhṛd': 'well-wisher, friend (implied by the narrative context)'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames ethical governance in terms of disciplined obedience: one who follows rightful injunctions and maintains self-restraint is treated as a friend, while deliberate contrariness toward legitimate authority is treated as enmity and becomes liable to punishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports Yudhiṣṭhira’s policy statement to his brothers and ministers: Dhṛtarāṣṭra is to be honored as a venerable king; those who remain under his orders are considered Yudhiṣṭhira’s allies, and those who act oppositely are regarded as enemies deserving chastisement.