Shloka 5
Adhyāya 20 — Rājadharma Argument for Paternal Inheritance and Timely Conciliation
धृतराष्ट्रस्य ये पुत्रा: प्राप्तं तैः पैतृकं वसु । पाण्डुपुत्रा: कथं नाम न प्राप्ता: पैतृक वसु
dhṛtarāṣṭrasya ye putrāḥ prāptaṃ taiḥ paitṛkaṃ vasu | pāṇḍuputrāḥ kathaṃ nāma na prāptāḥ paitṛkaṃ vasu ||
ധൃതരാഷ്ട്രന്റെ പുത്രന്മാർ പൈതൃകധനം കൈവശമാക്കി; എന്നാൽ പാണ്ഡുപുത്രന്മാർക്ക് അതേ പൈതൃകധനം എങ്ങനെ ലഭിക്കാതിരിക്കണം?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dharma in matters of inheritance: when heirs share the same paternal line, denying one branch its rightful share is adharma and becomes a moral seed of larger conflict.
Vaiśampāyana highlights the central grievance behind the impending war: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons have taken control of the ancestral kingdom/wealth, while Pāṇḍu’s sons are excluded despite having an equal claim.