Shloka 41
अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance
अन्धांश्व सर्वान् स्थविरांस्तथैव हस्त्याजीवा बहवो ये>त्र सन्ति । आखूयाय मां कुशलिन सम तेभ्यो- 5प्यनामयं परिपृच्छेर्जघन्यम्
andhāṁś ca sarvān sthavirāṁs tathaiva hastyājīvā bahavo ye ’tra santi | āhūyāya māṁ kuśalinaḥ samaṁ tebhyo ’py anāmayaṁ paripṛccheḥ jaghanyam ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Juga semua yang buta, demikian pula semua yang lanjut usia, dan banyak orang di sini yang mencari nafkah dengan gajah—sampaikan kepada mereka bahwa aku selamat. Lalu pada akhirnya, tanyakan pula kesehatan dan kesejahteraan mereka; bahkan yang paling rendah di antara mereka pun jangan dibiarkan tanpa ditanya.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma includes equal concern for all—especially the vulnerable and socially overlooked. One should inquire after the health and well-being of everyone, not excluding even the least.
Yudhiṣṭhira instructs that, when he is summoned, due regard should be shown to those present—blind people, the elderly, and workers connected with elephants—by asking after their welfare and health, extending courtesy down to the lowest-ranked persons.