Shloka 32

धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

प्रातरेव हि पश्येथा ये कुर्युव्ययकर्म ते । अलंकारमथो भोज्यमत ऊर्ध्व॑ समाचरे:

Transliteration

prātareva hi paśyethā ye kuryuvyayakarma te | alaṅkāramatho bhojyamata ūrdhva samācare ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «En verdad, al alba verías a quienes estaban ocupados en las tareas de gasto y de disposición de los asuntos. Luego, tras atender al adorno y a lo que había de comerse, proseguían con los deberes prescritos para el resto del día».

Word by Word

प्रातर्in the morning

एवindeed/just

हिfor/indeed

पश्येथyou should see/observe

येwho (those who)

कुर्युःthey should do

व्ययकर्मwork involving expenditure/expense-duty

तेthey/those

अलम्enough; (then) sufficient/that is all

अलंकारम्ornament/adornment

अथthen/next

भोज्यम्food; what is to be eaten

अतःthereafter/thereupon; from that (time)

ऊर्ध्वम्afterwards; further/onwards

समाचरेःyou should practice/perform

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined, orderly conduct: begin the day early, attend first to necessary arrangements and provisioning, then personal preparation and food, and only then proceed to the day’s higher or subsequent duties—suggesting that dharma is supported by practical responsibility and self-regulation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes an observed routine: people (in the described setting) are seen at dawn engaged in practical tasks and arrangements, then they dress and take food, and afterward continue with the remaining duties of the day.