Shloka 5
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Śrāddha Request and Bhīma’s Objection (Āśramavāsika-parva, Adhyāya 17)
तब महातेजस्वी अम्बिकानन्दन धृतराष्ट्रने गान्धारी और विदुरको सम्बोधित करके उनका हाथ पकड़कर कहा-- ।। युधिष्ठिरस्य जननी देवी साधु निवर्त्यताम् । यथा युधिष्ठिर: प्राह तत् सर्व सत्यमेव हि,'गान्धारी और विदुर! तुमलोग युधिष्ठिरकी माता कुन्तीदेवीको अच्छी तरह समझा- बुझाकर लौटा दो। युधिष्ठिर जैसा कह रहे हैं, वह सब ठीक ही है
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tadā mahātejā aṁbikānandano dhṛtarāṣṭro gāndhārīṁ ca viduraṁ ca sambodhyātha teṣāṁ hastaṁ gṛhītvā uvāca— yudhiṣṭhirasya jananī devī sādhū nivartyatām | yathā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ prāha tat sarvaṁ satyam eva hi |
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Entonces el poderoso Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hijo de Ambikā, dirigiéndose a Gāndhārī y a Vidura y tomándolos de la mano, dijo: «Que la diosa Kuntī, madre de Yudhiṣṭhira, sea persuadida con suavidad para que regrese. Pues todo cuanto ha dicho Yudhiṣṭhira es enteramente verdad».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes ethical deference to truth and rightful counsel: Dhṛtarāṣṭra affirms that Yudhiṣṭhira’s words are true and urges a gentle, proper approach (sādhu) in persuading Kuntī—showing that even in emotionally charged family decisions, one should act with truthfulness and considerate speech.
In the context of the Āśramavāsika episode, Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses Gāndhārī and Vidura, physically taking their hands in a gesture of urgency and intimacy, and asks them to persuade Kuntī (Yudhiṣṭhira’s mother) to return, while explicitly endorsing Yudhiṣṭhira’s statement as wholly true.