Shloka 53

धृतराष्ट्र–दुर्योधन संवादः

Vāraṇāvata-vivāsana-nīti: Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana’s Policy Dialogue

Devanagari script

ततः स व्रतिभि: शिष्यैस्तपोयुक्तैर्महातपा: । वृत: प्रायान्महाबाहुर्महेन्द्रं पर्वतोत्तमम्‌,फिर ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतका पालन करनेवाले तपस्वी शिष्योंसे घिरे हुए महातपस्वी महाबाहु द्रोण परम उत्तम महेन्द्र पर्वतपर गये

Transliteration

tataḥ sa vratibhiḥ śiṣyais tapoyuktair mahātapāḥ | vṛtaḥ prāyān mahābāhur mahendraṃ parvatottamam ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Then that great ascetic—mighty-armed and surrounded by his disciplined disciples who were devoted to austerity and the vow of celibate studentship—set out for Mahendra, the most excellent of mountains. The passage highlights the ethical force of self-restraint and disciplined learning as the foundation for higher aims.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

सःhe

व्रतिभिःby/with vow-observing (ascetics)

शिष्यैःby/with disciples

तपोयुक्तैःendowed with austerity

महातपाःthe great ascetic

वृतःsurrounded

प्रायात्went forth, departed

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

महेन्द्रम्to Mahendra (mountain/peak named Mahendra)

पर्वतोत्तमम्the best of mountains

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

disciples (śiṣyāḥ)

Mahendra mountain (Mahendra-parvata)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds dharmic discipline: vows (vrata), austerity (tapas), and the teacher–disciple community. Ethical strength is shown as arising from self-restraint and committed study, which enable purposeful action and higher pursuits.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator states that the great ascetic, accompanied by vow-keeping, austerity-practicing disciples, departs and goes to Mahendra—described as an excellent mountain—marking a transition to an episode connected with that sacred/remote location.