Shloka 4

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Śrāddha Request and Bhīma’s Objection (Āśramavāsika-parva, Adhyāya 17)

Devanagari script

ततो<ब्रवीन्महातेजा धृतराष्ट्रोडम्बिकासुत: । गान्धारीं विदुरं चैव समाभाष्यावगृह् च

Transliteration

tato 'bravīn mahātejā dhṛtarāṣṭro ḍambikāsutaḥ | gāndhārīṃ viduraṃ caiva samābhāṣyāvagṛhya ca ||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അംബികാസുതനായ മഹാതേജസ്സുള്ള ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രൻ ഗന്ധാരിയെയും വിദുരനെയും ഒരുമിച്ച് അഭിസംബോധന ചെയ്ത്, അവരെ വിശ്വാസത്തിൽ ഉൾപ്പെടുത്തി സംസാരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

ततःthen/from there

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

महातेजाःthe very radiant/illustrious one

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

डम्बिकासुतःson of Dambikā

गान्धारीम्Gandhārī

विदुरम्Vidura

चand

एवindeed/also

समाभाष्यhaving addressed/spoken to

अवगृह्यhaving taken/accepted (leave)/having greeted (lit. taken hold)

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Ambikā

Gāndhārī

Vidura

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?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of seeking wise counsel and speaking deliberately in times of decline. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s act of addressing Gāndhārī and Vidura signals a movement from mere authority to reflective decision-making guided by trusted relationships.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Dhṛtarāṣṭra, described as mighty and as Ambikā’s son, begins to speak after approaching and addressing Gāndhārī and Vidura together, drawing them close as confidants—preparing for an important decision or instruction in the Ashramavāsika context.