Shloka 223
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
एतच्छेयस्तु परमममन्यत जनार्दन: । समस्त राजाओंका विनाश देखते हुए गदाग्रज भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने यही परम कल्याणकारी माना कि मैं पाण्डवोंका राज्य उन्हें लौटा दूँ; परंतु मैं वैसा नहीं कर सका
etac chreyas tu paramam amanyata janārdanaḥ | samasta-rājānāṁ vināśaṁ dṛṣṭvā gadāgrajo bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ etad eva parama-kalyāṇakārī manyamānaḥ—ahaṁ pāṇḍavānāṁ rājyaṁ tebhyaḥ pratyarpayiṣyāmīti; kintu ahaṁ tathā kartum aśakam |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Janārdana menilai inilah kebaikan tertinggi. Melihat kehancuran begitu banyak raja, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa—kakak dari pemegang gada—menganggap paling membawa berkah bila aku mengembalikan kerajaan kepada para Pāṇḍava; namun aku tak mampu bertindak demikian.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic loss, the ethically superior path (śreyas) is restitution and justice—returning what is rightfully due. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s confession highlights how attachment and weakness can prevent one from choosing the highest good, despite clear counsel from Kṛṣṇa.
In the reflective aftermath of the great war’s devastation, Dhṛtarāṣṭra recalls that Kṛṣṇa regarded restoring the kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas as the most beneficial course, given the widespread destruction of kings. Dhṛtarāṣṭra admits he failed to carry out that corrective act.