Shloka 17
Gaṅgādvāra-tīrtha, Ulūpī-saṃvāda, and Arjuna’s Dharma-Deliberation (गङ्गाद्वार-तीर्थम्, उलूपी-संवादः)
अयं स पुरुषव्यात्र: पुनरायाति धर्मवित् । यो नः स्वानिव दायादान् धर्मेण परिरक्षति,(पुरवासी कह रहे थे--) “ये ही वे नरश्रेष्ठ धर्मज्ञ युधिष्ठिर पुनः यहाँ पधार रहे हैं, जो धर्मपूर्वक अपने पुत्रोंकी भाँति हमलोगोंकी रक्षा करते थे
ayaṃ sa puruṣavyāghraḥ punar āyāti dharmavit | yo naḥ svān iva dāyādān dharmeṇa parirakṣati ||
Vaiśampāyana dijo: «He aquí que vuelve aquel tigre entre los hombres, conocedor del dharma—Yudhiṣṭhira—quien, por su recta conducta, nos protege como si fuéramos sus propios hijos y herederos legítimos».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s legitimacy is grounded in dharma: he must protect people impartially and compassionately, treating subjects as his own dependents and heirs, not as resources to exploit.
The townspeople (as indicated by the contextual note) recognize Yudhiṣṭhira returning and praise him as a dharma-knowing leader who previously safeguarded them righteously, like a father protecting his children.