Shloka 17
Sanatsujāta-Āhvāna (Summoning Sanatsujāta) — Vidura’s Invocation and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Doubt
धृतराष्ट्र रवाच यानेवाहुरिज्यया साधुलोकान् द्विजातीनां पुण्यतमान् सनातनान् | तेषां परार्थ कथयन्तीह वेदा एतद् विद्वान नोपैति कथं नु कर्म,धृतराष्ट्र बोले--द्विजातियोंके लिये यज्ञोंद्वारा जिन पवित्रतम सनातन एवं श्रेष्ठ लोकोंकी प्राप्ति बतायी गयी है, यहाँ वेद उन्हींको परम पुरुषार्थ कहते हैं। इस बातको जाननेवाला दविद्दान् उत्तम कर्मोंका आश्रय क्यों न ले
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca—yān evāhur ijyayā sādhulokān dvijātīnāṁ puṇyatamān sanātanān | teṣāṁ parārthaṁ kathayantīha vedā etad vidvān nopaiti kathaṁ nu karma ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Those eternal and most meritorious worlds for the twice-born which are said to be attained through sacrifice—here the Vedas themselves proclaim these as the highest human aim. Knowing this, why would a wise person not take refuge in righteous action? How, then, could one fail to pursue such karma?”
सनत्युजात उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Vedicly-sanctioned righteous action—especially sacrificial duty (ijyā/yajña) leading to meritorious, enduring realms—as a recognized ‘highest aim’ for the twice-born, and challenges why a truly wise person would neglect such dharmic karma.
In the Sanatsujātīya section of Udyoga Parva, Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sanatsujāta about the value of action and the Vedic promise of higher worlds through sacrifice, pressing the point that if the Vedas praise such ends, a learned person should naturally pursue righteous deeds.