Shloka 21
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Śrāddha Request and Bhīma’s Objection (Āśramavāsika-parva, Adhyāya 17)
तेषां संश्रवणे चापि निषेदुर्विदुरादय:
teṣāṃ saṃśravaṇe cāpi niṣedur vidurādayaḥ
Et, en entendant ces événements à leur tour, Vidura et les autres s’assirent — recueillis et apaisés —, signe d’une écoute grave et attentive du récit qui se déroulait et du poids moral qu’il portait.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical discipline of attentive listening: when weighty matters of dharma, loss, and renunciation are heard, the proper response is composure, receptivity, and restraint—symbolized by sitting down in sober attention.
As Vaiśampāyana continues the account, Vidura and the other listeners, upon hearing what has been described, take their seats—indicating that the narration has reached a serious point and the audience is settling into focused, grave attention.