Shloka 8
अर्जुन–युधिष्ठिर–विदुर संवादः
Arjuna and Yudhiṣṭhira instruct Vidura on honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra
ततो भागीरथीतीरात् कुरुक्षेत्र जगाम स: । सानुगो नृपतिर्वद्धो नियत: संयतेन्द्रिय:,इस प्रकार नित्यकर्मसे निवृत्त हो बूढ़े राजा धृतराष्ट्र इन्द्रियसंयमपूर्वक नियमपरायण हो सेवकों-सहित गड़ातटसे चलकर कुरक्षेत्रमें जा पहुँचे
tato bhāgīrathītīrāt kuru-kṣetraṁ jagāma saḥ | sānugo nṛpatir vṛddho niyataḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ ||
Puis, quittant la rive de la Bhāgīrathī (le Gaṅgā), il se mit en route vers Kurukṣetra. Le roi âgé, accompagné de ses serviteurs, marcha avec une discipline austère, ferme dans ses vœux et maître de ses sens, et parvint à Kurukṣetra.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights niyama (regulated discipline) and indriya-saṁyama (sense-control) as the ethical foundation for a life of withdrawal in old age. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s authority is no longer expressed through command but through self-mastery—suggesting that true kingship can culminate in inner governance.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the aged king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, accompanied by attendants, departs from the Gaṅgā’s bank and travels to Kurukṣetra. The description emphasizes his disciplined, vow-bound state, marking a transition from worldly engagement toward ascetic, regulated living.