Shloka 7
धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts
ब्राह्मणेभ्यो यथाहेंभ्यो ददौ वित्तान्यनेकश: । धर्मराजश्न भीमश्षु सव्यसाची यमावपि,विपरीतकश्न मे शत्रुर्नियम्यश्न भवेन्नर: । राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े दयालु थे। वे सदा प्रसन्न रहकर अपने भाइयों और मन्त्रियोंसे कहा करते थे कि “ये राजा धृतराष्ट्र मेरे और आपलोगोंके माननीय हैं। जो इनकी आज्ञाके अधीन रहता है, वही मेरा सुहृद् है। विपरीत आचरण करनेवाला मेरा शत्रु है। वह मेरे दण्डका भागी होगा
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
brāhmaṇebhyo yathāhebhyo dadau vittāny anekaśaḥ |
dharmarājaś ca bhīmaś ca savyasācī yamāv api |
viparītakaś ca me śatrur niyamyaś ca bhaven naraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: In many ways he distributed wealth to the brāhmaṇas and to others as was fitting. Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira—together with Bhīma, the ambidextrous archer Arjuna, and the twin sons of Yama—maintained this course. He would repeatedly tell his brothers and ministers: “King Dhṛtarāṣṭra is worthy of honor for me and for you all. Whoever remains under his command is my well-wisher; but one who acts contrary becomes my enemy and must be restrained and punished.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Righteous rule combines generosity with discipline: honor those who deserve reverence (here, Dhṛtarāṣṭra as an elder king), reward loyalty to legitimate authority, and restrain those who act in defiance of ethical and political order.
Vaiśampāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira’s conduct after the war: he gives wealth in charity, and he instructs his brothers and ministers to treat Dhṛtarāṣṭra as an honored superior—counting obedience to him as friendship, and opposition as enmity deserving restraint.