Shloka 9
धृतराष्ट्रं पुरस्कृत्य गान्धारीं च यशस्विनीम् । मातरं च पृथां धीमान् भ्रातृश्न पुरुषर्षभान्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ puraskṛtya gāndhārīṃ ca yaśasvinīm | mātaraṃ ca pṛthāṃ dhīmān bhrātṝṃś ca puruṣarṣabhān, vibho | kurukulānandano buddhimān yudhiṣṭhiro rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yaśasvinīṃ gāndhārīṃ devīṃ mātaraṃ kuntīṃ tathā puruṣapravarān bhrātṝn agre kṛtvā paścāt bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇo buddhimān viduro yuyutsuḥ sātyakiś ca saha gacchanti sma |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Dengan meletakkan Dhṛtarāṣṭra di hadapan, bersama Gāndhārī yang termasyhur dan ibu mereka Pṛthā (Kuntī), serta saudara-saudara gagah laksana lembu jantan—wahai yang perkasa—Raja Yudhiṣṭhira, yang bijaksana, kebanggaan wangsa Kuru, berjalan dengan mereka mendahului. Di belakang mereka menyusul Śrī Kṛṣṇa yang mulia, Vidura yang berhati-hati, Yuyutsu dan Sātyaki. Pemandangan itu menegaskan kesantunan dan pengendalian diri Yudhiṣṭhira menurut dharma: meski menang, baginda tetap memuliakan para tua dan yang berdukacita, memelihara tertib sosial dan moral melalui adab hormat.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in triumph, a ruler should uphold dharma through humility and proper honor: Yudhiṣṭhira gives precedence to elders and the bereaved (Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī), modeling ethical kingship grounded in restraint, respect, and social harmony.
A formal movement/procession is described: Yudhiṣṭhira proceeds with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Gāndhārī, and Kuntī placed in front along with the Pāṇḍava brothers, while Kṛṣṇa, Vidura, Yuyutsu, and Sātyaki follow behind—highlighting protocol and the emotional-political delicacy after the war.