Shloka 35
Vidura’s Message to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Authorization for Dāna and Public Welfare (विदुरवाक्यम्—दानानुज्ञा)
संचरिष्यति लोकांश्व देवगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् । स्वच्छन्देनेति धर्मात्मा यन्मां त्वमनुपृच्छसि
sañcariṣyati lokāṃś ca devagandharvarakṣasām | svacchandena iti dharmātmā yan māṃ tvam anupṛcchasi ||
Le juste errera, à son gré, parmi les mondes des dieux, des Gandharvas et des Rākṣasas : voilà ce que tu me demandes.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes that sincere tapas (austerity and disciplined renunciation) has the power to purify past wrongdoing: even a king burdened by moral failure can have his pāpa ‘burned to ash’ through spiritual effort, leading to elevated posthumous states.
Narada answers a king’s inquiry by foretelling Dhritarashtra’s destiny: after completing his ascetic course with Gandhari, he will attain Kubera’s realm, be honored there, and then freely travel in a vimāna among the worlds of gods, Gandharvas, and Rakshasas.