धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas
प्रयास्यमानो नृपतिस्त्रिविधां परिचिन्तयेत् । आत्मनश्वैव शत्रोश्व शक्ति शास्त्रविशारद:,शत्रुपर चढ़ाई करनेवाले शास्त्रविशारद राजाको अपनी और शत्रुकी त्रिविध शक्तियोंपर भलीभाँति विचार कर लेना चाहिये
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | prayāsyamāno nṛpatis trividhāṃ paricintayet | ātmanaś caiva śatroś ca śaktiṃ śāstraviśāradaḥ ||
ಯಾತ್ರೆಗೆ ಹೊರಡುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಿದ್ಧನಾದ ರಾಜನು—ನೀತಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಯುದ್ಧಶಾಸ್ತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಪರಿಣತನು—ತನ್ನದೂ ಶತ್ರುವಿನದೂ ಆದ ತ್ರಿವಿಧ ಶಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಬೇಕು।
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Before initiating aggression or a military march, a ruler must practice disciplined deliberation: assess, in a structured way, the threefold strengths and resources of both sides, so that action is guided by knowledge rather than impulse.
In Āśramavāsika Parva, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks in a reflective, advisory tone, articulating principles of kingship and conduct; here he states a rule of prudent statecraft for a king preparing to attack or march against an enemy.