Shloka 226

धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts

Devanagari script

आयूंषि पाण्डुपुत्राणामाशंसत नराधिप: । ब्राह्मणोंसे स्वस्तिवाचन कराकर अग्निमें हवन करनेके पश्चात्‌ राजा धृतराष्ट्र सदा यह शुभकामना करते थे कि पाण्डवोंकी आयु बढ़े

Transliteration

āyūṃṣi pāṇḍuputrāṇām āśaṃsata narādhipaḥ | brāhmaṇebhyaḥ svastivācanaṃ kārayitvā agnim̐ havanaṃ kṛtvā paścāt rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ sadā etāṃ śubhakāmanāṃ karoti sma—pāṇḍavānāṃ āyur vardhatām iti |

Translation

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ພຣະຣາຊາ ທຣິຕຣາດຣະ ຜູ້ປາດຖະໜາໃຫ້ບຸດຂອງປານດຸມີອາຍຸຍືນ ໄດ້ໃຫ້ພຣາຫມັນສະດຸດີຄຳອວຍພອນມົງຄຸນ ແລະຫຼັງຈາກຖວາຍຂອງບູຊາລົງໃນໄຟສັກສິດແລ້ວ ພຣະອົງກໍຕັ້ງຈິດອວຍພອນຢູ່ເລື້ອຍວ່າ: “ຂໍໃຫ້ອາຍຸຂອງປານດະວະເພີ່ມພູນ.” ການປະພຶດນີ້ສະທ້ອນການຫັນໄປສູ່ທຳຂອງພຣະຣາຊາຊະລາ—ປາດຖະໜາຄວາມຜາສຸກໃຫ້ຜູ້ເຄີຍເປັນຄູ່ຕໍ່ຕ້ານ ດ້ວຍພິທີກຳອັນຖືກຕ້ອງ ແລະນ້ຳໃຈຈິງ.

Word by Word

आयूंषिlifespans, lives

पाण्डुपुत्राणाम्of the sons of Pāṇḍu (the Pāṇḍavas)

आशंसतwished, prayed for

नराधिपःthe king (lord of men)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍuputras (Pāṇḍavas)

Brāhmaṇas

Agni (sacred fire)

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 after conflict and loss, dharma can be reaffirmed through goodwill toward former rivals. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s repeated benediction for the Pāṇḍavas’ long life models ethical reconciliation—turning from resentment to welfare-wishing, supported by disciplined ritual and intention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Dhṛtarāṣṭra regularly arranges brāhmaṇas to recite auspicious blessings and performs fire-offerings (homa). After these rites, he continually expresses the wish that the Pāṇḍavas’ lifespan may increase.