Shloka 17
धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas
बल॑ प्रसादयेद् राजा निक्षिपेद् बलिनो नरान् | ज्ञात्वा स्वविषयं तत्र सामादिभिरुपक्रमेत्,राजाको चाहिये कि वह पारितोषिक आदिके द्वारा सेनाको संतुष्ट रखे और उसमें बलवान मनुष्योंकी भर्ती करे। अपने बलाबलको अच्छी तरह समझकर साम आदि उपायोंके द्वारा संधि या युद्धके लिये उद्योग करे
balaṁ prasādayed rājā nikṣiped balino narān | jñātvā svaviṣayaṁ tatra sāmādibhir upakramet ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “A king should keep his army content by granting rewards and favors, and he should enlist strong and capable men. Having clearly understood his own sphere of power and resources, he should then set about his policy—beginning with conciliation and the other means—toward making peace or undertaking war.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must secure the loyalty and morale of the army through appropriate rewards, recruit capable strength, realistically assess his own resources, and then act through the classical policy sequence—starting with conciliation (sāma) and proceeding through other measures—toward peace or, if necessary, war.
In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks in a reflective, advisory mode, articulating principles of kingship: maintaining military satisfaction, strengthening the force with able men, and choosing diplomatic or coercive strategies only after judging one’s true capacity.