Shloka 40

धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts

Devanagari script

विपरीतकश्न मे शत्रुर्नियम्यश्न भवेन्नर: । राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े दयालु थे। वे सदा प्रसन्न रहकर अपने भाइयों और मन्त्रियोंसे कहा करते थे कि “ये राजा धृतराष्ट्र मेरे और आपलोगोंके माननीय हैं। जो इनकी आज्ञाके अधीन रहता है, वही मेरा सुहृद्‌ है। विपरीत आचरण करनेवाला मेरा शत्रु है। वह मेरे दण्डका भागी होगा

Transliteration

viparītakaśna me śatrur niyamyaśna bhaven naraḥ |

Translation

વૈશમ્પાયન બોલ્યા—જે મારી આજ્ઞાના વિરુદ્ધ વર્તે છે તે મારો શત્રુ; અને જે પોતાને સંયમમાં રાખીને શાસન-શિસ્ત હેઠળ રહે છે તે જ સચ્ચો પુરુષ છે. આ ભાવથી દયાળુ અને સ્થિરસ્વભાવ યુધિષ્ઠિરે પોતાના ભાઈઓ અને મંત્રીઓને ઉપદેશ આપ્યો—“વૃદ્ધ રાજા ધૃતરાષ્ટ્ર પૂજ્ય છે. જે તેમની આજ્ઞા હેઠળ રહે છે તે મારો સુહૃદ છે; અને જે વિરુદ્ધ ચાલે છે તે પ્રતિપક્ષી અને દંડનીય છે.”

Word by Word

• {'viparīta': 'contrary, opposite, acting against (what is proper or commanded)', 'kaśna (uncertain reading)': "unclear/possibly corrupt in the provided text

• context suggests 'ācaraṇa' (conduct) or a term indicating contrary behavior", 'me': 'my', 'śatruḥ': 'enemy', 'niyamya': 'having restrained, controlling (oneself)

• from √yam with ni-', 'aśna (uncertain reading)': "unclear/possibly corrupt

• could relate to 'aśnāti' (eats) but narrative sense points to 'niyamya' as key", 'bhavet': 'may become, becomes', 'naraḥ': 'man, person', 'ājñā': 'command, order', 'daṇḍa': 'punishment, royal chastisement', 'suhṛd': 'well-wisher, friend'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• brothers of Yudhiṣṭhira (Pāṇḍavas, implied)
• ministers (mantrins, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse and its narrative frame teach that social and political harmony depends on self-restraint (niyama) and obedience to rightful, respected authority—especially honoring elders. Acting contrary to such authority is treated as hostility and invites punishment, underscoring dharma in governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira instructs his brothers and ministers to treat King Dhṛtarāṣṭra as a venerable superior. He declares that those who follow Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s commands are his friends, while those who oppose them are his enemies and will face royal discipline.