Shloka 22

धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas

Devanagari script

एतत्‌ सर्व यथान्यायं कुर्वीथा भूरिदक्षिण । प्रियस्तथा प्रजानां त्वं स्वर्गे सुखमवाप्स्यसि,यज्ञमें प्रचुर दक्षिणा देनेवाले महाराज! इन सब बातोंका यथोचित रूपसे पालन करना। इससे तुम प्रजाके प्रिय बनोगे और स्वर्गमें भी सुख पाओगे

Transliteration

etad sarvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ kurvīthā bhūridakṣiṇa | priyastathā prajānāṃ tvaṃ svarge sukham avāpsyasi ||

Translation

ドリタラーシュトラは言った。「供犠において多くの布施（ダクシナー）を施す王よ、これらすべてを正当な作法と法にかなって行え。そうすれば汝は民に慕われ、また天界においても安楽を得るであろう。」

Word by Word

एतत्this (all this)

सर्वम्all

यथाas, according to

न्यायम्rule, propriety, justice

कुर्वीथाःyou should do/perform

भूरि-दक्षिणO one of abundant gifts (liberal donor)

प्रियःdear, beloved

तथाthus, likewise

प्रजानाम्of the subjects/people

त्वम्you

स्वर्गेin heaven

सुखम्happiness, comfort

अवाप्स्यसिyou will obtain

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

prajā (the subjects/people)

svarga (heaven)

dakṣiṇā (sacrificial gifts/fees)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Right conduct (yathā-nyāya) and generous, properly ordered giving—especially in ritual and public duty—wins the goodwill of one’s subjects and yields spiritual merit leading to heavenly happiness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses a king praised for abundant dakṣiṇā, urging him to follow the prescribed course of action correctly; he links ethical propriety and generosity with both social approval and posthumous reward.