Shloka 23
धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण यो यजेत् पृथिवीपति: । पालयेद् वापि धर्मेण प्रजास्तुल्यं फलं लभेत्,जो राजा एक हजार अभश्वमेध-यज्ञोंका अनुष्ठान करता है अथवा दूसरा जो नरेश धर्मपूर्वक प्रजाका पालन करता है, उन दोनोंको समान फल प्राप्त होता है
aśvamedha-sahasreṇa yo yajet pṛthivī-patiḥ | pālayed vāpi dharmeṇa prajāḥ tulyam phalaṁ labhet |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “A lord of the earth who performs a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices, and another king who instead protects his subjects in accordance with dharma—both attain an equal reward.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that ethical rule—protecting and sustaining the people according to dharma—can yield the same spiritual merit as grand sacrificial rituals. It prioritizes lived responsibility (rajadharma) over mere ceremonial magnificence.
In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra reflects on dharma and merit while the elders have withdrawn from courtly life. He articulates a principle of moral equivalence: the king’s righteous protection of subjects stands on par with the highest royal sacrifices.