Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

पिता यवीयानस्माकं क्षत्ता धर्मविदां वर: । पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्त: किमाह धृतराष्ट्रजम्‌

Transliteration

pitā yavīyān asmākaṃ kṣattā dharmavidāṃ varaḥ | putraśokābhisaṃtaptaḥ kim āha dhṛtarāṣṭrajam ||

Translation

ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ನಮ್ಮ ತಂದೆಯ ಕಿರಿಯ ಸಹೋದರನಾದ ಕ್ಷತ್ತಾ ವಿದುರನು—ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದವರಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನು—ಪುತ್ರಶೋಕದಿಂದ ದಗ್ಧನಾಗಿ ಧೃತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರನ ಪುತ್ರನಿಗೆ ಏನು ಹೇಳಿದನು?

Word by Word

पिताfather

यवीयान्younger

अस्माकम्of us / our

क्षत्ताcharioteer/counsellor (the sūta/minister named Kṣattā, i.e., Vidura)

धर्मविदाम्of the knowers of dharma

वरःthe best

पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तःafflicted (heated) by grief for (his) son

किम्what

आहsaid

धृतराष्ट्रजम्to the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Speaker

युधिष्टिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Vidura (Kṣattā)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Kaurava; likely Duryodhana)

Vidura’s son (implied by 'putraśoka')

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?

Even a foremost knower of dharma (Vidura) can be overwhelmed by personal grief; yet the verse frames him as an ethical authority whose words to a powerful prince matter. It highlights the tension between private sorrow and public responsibility in dharmic counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira inquires about what Vidura—described as their paternal uncle and the Kṣattā—said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son, noting that Vidura was suffering intensely due to grief over his son.