Shloka 24
धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance
न तदा त्वां पिता ज्येष्ठ: पितृत्वेनाभिवीक्षते | “जब तुम सब लोग तेरह वर्षोतक वनमें जंगली फल-मूल खाकर किसी तरह जी रहे थे, उन दिनों तुम्हारे ये ताऊजी पिताके भावसे तुम्हारी ओर नहीं देखते थे ।।
na tadā tvāṃ pitā jyeṣṭhaḥ pitṛtvenābhivīkṣate | kiṃ te tad vismṛtaṃ pārtha yad eṣa kula-pāṃsanaḥ ||
તે દિવસોમાં તારો જ્યેષ્ઠ પિતા—તારો કાકા—તને પિતૃત્વભાવથી જોતો ન હતો. હે પાર્થ, શું તને તે ભૂલાઈ ગયું છે કે આ કુલકલંક ત્યારે પણ એવો જ હતો?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse rebukes the failure of elder guardians to uphold paternal responsibility (pitṛ-dharma). It frames neglect during hardship as a moral fault and urges remembrance of past injustice when judging character and duty.
Vaiśampāyana recalls how, during the Pāṇḍavas’ long forest hardship, the elder uncle who should have acted like a father did not show paternal concern. The speaker challenges Pārtha (Arjuna) not to forget this neglect and censures the offender as a disgrace to the lineage.