Shloka 49
Vyāsa’s Inquiry into Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Tapas and the Identification of Vidura with Dharma
जनन्या समुपाघ्राता: परिष्वक्ताश्न ते नृपम् । चक्कुः प्रदक्षिणं सर्वे वत्सा इव निवारणे
jananyā samupāghrātāḥ pariṣvaktāś ca te nṛpam | cakṣuḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ sarve vatsā iva nivāraṇe ||
Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: «Aquellas mujeres, tras acercarse y oler con cariño la cabeza de su madre y abrazarla, volvieron todas sus ojos hacia ti con reverencia, oh rey—como terneros que dan vueltas en torno a su madre en el corral».
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic tenderness and social ethics: affection and reverence are expressed through intimate gestures (smelling, embracing) and respectful attention toward rightful authority, portraying care, humility, and relational duty as virtues.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes a scene where people—especially women—approach their mother figure with affection, embrace her, and then look respectfully toward the king, compared to calves gathering around their mother in an enclosure.