Shloka 18

Devanagari script

उत्सृज्यध्वं महावीर्यान्‌ धृतराष्ट्रसुतानिमान्‌ । दारांश्नैषां विमुज्चध्वं धर्मराजस्य शासनात्‌

Transliteration

utsṛjya-dhvaṁ mahāvīryān dhṛtarāṣṭra-sutān imān | dārān eṣāṁ vimucadhvaṁ dharmarājasya śāsanāt ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Release these sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, men of great prowess. And, by the command of Dharmarāja, set their wives free as well.”

Word by Word

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned/left
• उत्सृज्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सृज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• ध्वम्: you (all)
• ध्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महावीर्यान्: very valiant
• महावीर्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• धृतराष्ट्रसुतान्: sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रसुतान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्रसुत
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• इमान्: these
• इमान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• दारान्: wives
• दारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• एषाम्: of these (men)
• एषाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: —, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• विमुञ्चध्वम्: release/let go (you all)
• विमुञ्चध्वम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√मुच्
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, मध्यम, बहुवचन, कर्तरि

• धर्मराजस्य: of Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मराजस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शासनात्: from/according to the command
• शासनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas)
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• wives of the Kauravas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid conflict, dharma requires restraint and compassion: captives are to be released, and women are not to be treated as spoils but protected and freed, especially under a righteous king’s command.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports an order issued under Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira): the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra are to be released, and their wives are also to be set free, emphasizing lawful conduct and humane treatment.