Shloka 33

धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts

Devanagari script

विपरीतकश्न मे शत्रुर्नियम्यश्न भवेन्नर: । राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े दयालु थे। वे सदा प्रसन्न रहकर अपने भाइयों और मन्त्रियोंसे कहा करते थे कि “ये राजा धृतराष्ट्र मेरे और आपलोगोंके माननीय हैं। जो इनकी आज्ञाके अधीन रहता है, वही मेरा सुहृद्‌ है। विपरीत आचरण करनेवाला मेरा शत्रु है। वह मेरे दण्डका भागी होगा

Transliteration

vaiparītyakṛc ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “A man who acts contrary (to this order) is my enemy; but one who restrains himself and lives in obedience becomes (truly) a disciplined person.” In this context, King Yudhiṣṭhira—renowned for compassion—would repeatedly tell his brothers and ministers, always with a calm and pleased demeanor: “King Dhṛtarāṣṭra is venerable to me and to all of you. Whoever remains under his command is my well-wisher. Whoever behaves in opposition is my enemy and will incur my punishment.”

Word by Word

• {'vaiparītya-kṛt': 'one who acts oppositely

• one who behaves contrary to instruction', 'me': 'my', 'śatruḥ': 'enemy', 'niyamya': 'having restrained (oneself)

• exercising self-control', 'bhavet': 'may become

• becomes', 'naraḥ': 'a man

• person', 'ājñā': 'command

• order', 'adhīna': 'subject to

• under the authority of', 'mānanīya': 'venerable

• worthy of respect', 'suhṛd': 'well-wisher

• friend', 'daṇḍa': 'punishment

• royal chastisement', 'daṇḍa-bhāgī': 'liable to punishment

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yudhiṣṭhira's brothers (Pāṇḍavas)
• ministers

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Legitimate authority and ethical order are upheld through self-restraint and obedience to a respected elder-king; deliberate opposition to rightful command is treated as hostility and invites royal punishment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira’s policy after the war: he instructs his brothers and ministers to honor Dhṛtarāṣṭra as a venerable authority; those who follow Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s orders are counted as allies, while those who act contrary are deemed enemies and subject to discipline.