Shloka 43
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Restraint and the Pāṇḍavas’ Authorized Return (धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
(बाह्लीक: सोमदत्तश्न प्रातीपेय: ससंजय: । द्रौणिभूरिश्रवाश्वैव युयुत्सुर्धतराष्ट्रज: ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
bāhlīkaḥ somadattaś ca prātīpeyaḥ sa sañjayaḥ |
drauṇir bhūriśravāś caiva yuyutsuś dhṛtarāṣṭrajaḥ ||
hastau piṁṣann adhovaktrā niḥśvasanta iva oragāḥ ||
dhṛtarāṣṭras tu taṁ hṛṣṭaḥ paryapṛcchat punaḥ punaḥ |
kiṁ jitaṁ kiṁ jitam iti hy ākāraṁ nābhyarakṣata ||
Waiśampāyana berkata—Bāhlīka, Somadatta cucu Pratīpa, Sañjaya, Aśvatthāman putra Droṇa, Bhūriśravas, dan Yuyutsu putra Dhṛtarāṣṭra—semuanya menundukkan wajah, menggosok-gosokkan kedua tangan, sambil menghela napas panjang laksana ular. Namun Dhṛtarāṣṭra, girang dalam batin, berulang-ulang bertanya: “Apa yang dimenangkan? Apa yang dimenangkan?”—dan ia tak mampu menyembunyikan tanda-tanda sukacitanya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how attachment and partisanship distort judgment: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s eagerness for his side’s success becomes visible despite attempts at restraint. Ethically, it contrasts the ideal of royal self-control and impartiality with the reality of desire-driven conduct.
A group of Kuru-aligned elders and warriors sit in tense discomfort—downcast, rubbing their hands, breathing like snakes—while Dhṛtarāṣṭra, pleased within, repeatedly asks for news of victory, unable to hide his excitement.