Shloka 10
Bhīmasya paruṣa-vākyaṃ
Bhīma’s Harsh Speech Heard by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī
वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! वेदवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ
evam etan mahābāho yathā vadasi bhārata | rājāyaṁ vṛddhatāṁ prāptaḥ pramāṇe parame sthitaḥ ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Janamejaya, ketika Yudhiṣṭhira berkata demikian, Vyāsa yang bercahaya dan maha bijaksana—terutama di antara para pengenal Weda—menasihatinya lagi: ‘Wahai putra Bharata yang berlengan kuat, benar seperti yang kaukatakan. Namun Raja Dhṛtarāṣṭra telah renta dan kini berdiri pada ukuran terakhir kehidupan.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one’s judgment is correct, dharma requires sensitivity to time and condition: an aged person nearing life’s end should be treated with restraint, compassion, and appropriate counsel rather than harsh insistence.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Vyāsa responds to Yudhiṣṭhira’s statement, affirming it but adding a crucial consideration: Dhṛtarāṣṭra is now very old and at the final stage of life, shaping how Yudhiṣṭhira should proceed.