Shloka 38
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
उचितं नः कुले तात सर्वेषां भरतर्षभ । पुत्रेष्वैश्वर्यमाधाय वयसो<न्ते वनं नूप,“तात! भरतश्रेष्ठ नरेश्वर! हमारे कुलके सभी राजाओंके लिये यही उचित है कि वे अन्तिम अवस्थामें पुत्रोंको राज्य देकर स्वयं वनमें पधारें
ucitaṃ naḥ kule tāta sarveṣāṃ bharatarṣabha | putreṣv aiśvaryam ādhāya vayaso 'nte vanaṃ nūpa ||
Wahai anakku, wahai raja terbaik di antara para Bhārata, inilah adat yang patut dalam garis keturunan kita: semua raja, setelah menyerahkan kedaulatan kepada putra-putranya, pada akhir usia berangkat menuju rimba.
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should relinquish power at the proper time—entrusting the kingdom to the next generation—and turn toward forest-discipline/renunciation, embodying detachment and the life-stage ideal (vānaprastha) as a fulfillment of dharma.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra justifies the decision to withdraw to the forest by appealing to ancestral royal custom: kings of their line, after installing their sons in sovereignty, leave worldly rule in old age and adopt forest-life.