Shloka 559
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्! धृतराष्ट्रकी यह बात सुनकर धर्मराज युधिष्ठछिर काँपने लगे और हाथ जोड़कर चुपचाप बैठे रहे। अम्बिकानन्दन राजा धुृतराष्ट्रने उनसे उपर्युक्त बात कहकर महात्मा संजय और महारथी कृपाचार्यसे कहा--“मैं आपलोगोंके द्वारा राजा युधिष्ठिरको समझाना चाहता हूँ
Vaiśampāyana uvāca—rājan! dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vacaḥ śrutvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ kampamānaḥ karābhyāṃ praṇamya tūṣṇīṃ babhūva. athāmbikānandano rājā dhṛtarāṣṭro yudhiṣṭhiram uktvā mahātmānaṃ sañjayaṃ mahārathiṃ ca kṛpācāryam idam abravīt—“ahaṃ yuṣmābhiḥ saha rājānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram upadeṣṭum icchāmi.”
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King! Hearing these words of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the righteous king Yudhiṣṭhira began to tremble; with folded hands he sat in silence. Then Dhṛtarāṣṭra, son of Ambikā, having spoken thus to Yudhiṣṭhira, addressed the noble Sañjaya and the great chariot-warrior Kṛpācārya: ‘With your help, I wish to counsel King Yudhiṣṭhira.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights ethical governance through counsel: even a king like Yudhiṣṭhira, famed for dharma, receives guidance from elders. His trembling and silence show humility and moral sensitivity, while Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s wish to counsel him underscores the duty to seek wise advice in moments of emotional and political strain.
After Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks, Yudhiṣṭhira is visibly shaken and sits silently with folded hands. Dhṛtarāṣṭra then turns to Sañjaya and Kṛpācārya, asking them to help him instruct and persuade Yudhiṣṭhira.