Shloka 17
Ādi-parva 109: Pāṇḍu’s Forest Hunt and Kiṃdama’s Curse (पाण्डोर्मृगयावृत्तान्तः—किंदमशापः)
धृतराष्ट्रश्न पाण्डुश्व विदुरश्ष महामति: । जन्मप्रभृति भीष्मेण पुत्रवत् परिपालिता:,धृतराष्ट्र, पाण्डु तथा परम बुद्धिमान् विदुर--इन तीनों भाइयोंका भीष्मजीने जन्मसे ही पुत्रकी भाँति पालन किया
Vaiśampāyana uvāca | dhṛtarāṣṭraś ca pāṇḍuś ca viduraś ca mahāmatiḥ | janmaprabhṛti bhīṣmeṇa putravat paripālitāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu et Vidura, au grand esprit — ces trois frères furent pris en charge par Bhīṣma dès leur naissance, protégés et élevés comme s’ils avaient été ses propres fils.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores dharma as responsible guardianship: Bhīṣma fulfills his duty to the Kuru household by protecting and raising the next generation with the care due to one’s own children, modeling selfless stewardship and loyalty to family and kingdom.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhīṣma, as the senior protector of the Kuru dynasty, brought up Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Pāṇḍu, and Vidura from birth, treating them like his sons—establishing Bhīṣma’s role as their guardian and stabilizing authority in the royal family.