Shloka 49
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
नाहं राजा भवान् राजा भवत:ः परवानहम् । कथं गुरु त्वां धर्मज्ञमनुज्ञातुमिहोत्सहे
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
nāhaṃ rājā bhavān rājā bhavataḥ paravān aham |
kathaṃ guruṃ tvāṃ dharmajñam anu-jñātum ihotsahe ||
Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: «Yo no soy el rey; tú eres el rey. Yo vivo bajo tu autoridad. ¿Cómo, aquí y ahora, podría atreverme a concederte permiso a ti—mi maestro, conocedor del dharma?»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical authority is not merely positional; it is grounded in dharma and seniority. Yudhiṣṭhira models humility by refusing to ‘authorize’ a revered elder/teacher, affirming that a dharma-knowing guru stands above the student’s political power.
In the Ashramavāsika context, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses an elder with deference, declaring himself dependent and not the true authority. He hesitates to give permission, emphasizing the elder’s status as guru and dharma-jñā.