Shloka 9
धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्षमायाचनं तथा युधिष्ठिरे न्यासदानम् / Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Forgiveness and the Entrustment to Yudhiṣṭhira
कुन्ती गान्धारीं बद्धनेत्रां व्रजन्तीं स्कन्धासक्तं हस्तमथोद्वहन्ती । राजा गान्धार्या: स्कन्धदेशेडवसज्य पा्िं ययौ धृतराष्ट्र: प्रतीत:
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kuntī gāndhārīṃ baddha-netrāṃ vrajantīṃ skandhāsaktaṃ hastam athodvahantī | rājā gāndhāryāḥ skandha-deśe 'vasajya pāṇiṃ yayau dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ pratītaḥ | tataḥ paścāt yudhiṣṭhira-sahito bhīmasenaḥ arjunaḥ vīra-mādrī-kumārau viduraḥ saṃjayaḥ vaiśyāputraḥ yuyutsuḥ kṛpācāryaḥ dhaumyaḥ tathā anye bahavo brāhmaṇāḥ aśru-bahulāḥ gadgada-kaṇṭhāḥ teṣāṃ paścāt paścāt yayuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Kuntī marcha en tête, soutenant la main de Gāndhārī aux yeux bandés et la maintenant posée sur son épaule tandis qu’elle la guidait. Le roi Dhṛtarāṣṭra suivit, calme et confiant, posant sa main sur l’épaule de Gāndhārī. Derrière eux venaient Yudhiṣṭhira avec Bhīmasena et Arjuna, les vaillants fils de Mādrī, Vidura, Sañjaya, Yuyutsu —né d’une femme vaiśya—, Kṛpācārya, Dhaumya et bien d’autres brāhmaṇas, marchant à leur suite, les larmes aux yeux, la voix étranglée par le chagrin.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic conflict, dharma is upheld through humility, service, and restraint: the powerful do not cling to authority, and the community protects the vulnerable (the blind and the grieving). The image of mutual support—Kuntī guiding Gāndhārī and Dhṛtarāṣṭra relying on her—models ethical responsibility and reconciliation.
Kuntī walks ahead supporting Gāndhārī, who is blindfolded; Dhṛtarāṣṭra follows with his hand on Gāndhārī’s shoulder. Behind them, Yudhiṣṭhira and the others—Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, Vidura, Sañjaya, Yuyutsu, Kṛpa, Dhaumya, and many brāhmaṇas—follow weeping, their voices choked, as the elders proceed toward the forest life.