Shloka 39

Droṇa–Vidura–Gāndhārī Counsel in the Royal Assembly (धर्मार्थयुक्ता सभा-उपदेश-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

अन्ध: करणहीनत्वान्न वै राजा पिता तव । राजा तु पाण्डुरभवन्महात्मा लोकविश्रुत:,तुम्हारे पिता अंधे थे, अतः नेत्रेन्द्रियसे हीन होनेके कारण राजा न हो सके, तब लोकविख्यात महामना पाण्डु इस देशके राजा हुए

Transliteration

andhaḥ karaṇahīnatvān na vai rājā pitā tava | rājā tu pāṇḍur abhavan mahātmā lokaviśrutaḥ ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「そなたの父は盲目であった。ゆえに視覚の力を欠き、王位に就くことができなかった。その代わりに、世に名高き大いなる魂のパーンドゥが、この国の王となったのだ。」

Word by Word

अन्धःblind

करणहीनत्वात्due to the state of lacking senses/organs

नnot

वैindeed

राजाking

पिताfather

तवyour

राजाking

तुbut

पाण्डुःPāṇḍu

अभवत्became/was

महात्माgreat-souled one

लोकविश्रुतःrenowned in the world

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Dhritarashtra (implied as 'your father')

Pandu

the kingdom (implied: Kuru realm/Hastinapura)

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?

Bhishma grounds royal legitimacy in accepted norms of fitness for rule: personal incapacity (here, blindness understood as a disqualifying limitation in that context) leads to succession by a capable heir, emphasizing stability and dharma in governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma explains to the listener that Dhritarashtra did not ascend the throne due to blindness, and that Pandu, celebrated and virtuous, was installed as king—clarifying the historical basis of Kuru kingship before the Kurukshetra conflict.