Shloka 23

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

सो5हमेतान्यलीकानि निवृत्तान्यात्मनस्तदा

Transliteration

so’ham etāny alīkāni nivṛttāny ātmanas tadā

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Thus, at that time, I turned back from myself those untrue notions—those self-deceptions—renouncing them.”

Word by Word

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• अलीकानि: false, untrue
• अलीकानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• निवृत्तानि: turned back/withdrawn; ceased
• निवृत्तानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural, [object Object]

• आत्मनः: of (my) self
• आत्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights ethical self-correction: recognizing inner falsehoods (alīkāni) and practicing nivṛtti—withdrawal from self-deception—so that one’s conduct aligns more closely with truth and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks introspectively, describing a moment when he rejected certain false beliefs or self-justifications within himself, indicating a turn toward renunciation and moral clarity in the Ashramavāsika context.