Shloka 19

धृतराष्ट्रस्य सत्कारः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Honored in the Post-war Court

Devanagari script

आरालिका: सूपकारा रागखाण्डविकास्तथा । उपातिष्ठन्त राजानं धृतराष्ट्रं यथा पुरा,राजा धृतराष्ट्रकी सेवामें पहलेकी ही भाँति उक्त अवसरोंपर भी रसोईके काममें निपुण आरालिक:, सूपकारः और रागखाण्डविकः मौजूद रहते थे

Transliteration

ārālikāḥ sūpakārā rāgakhāṇḍavikās tathā | upātiṣṭhanta rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yathā purā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: Seperti pada hari-hari dahulu, para dayang dan pelayan istana yang mahir—yang arif menyediakan hidangan nasi, sup, dan aneka juadah halus—terus menanti dan berkhidmat kepada Raja Dhṛtarāṣṭra pada waktu yang sepatutnya. Bahkan pada usia senja, tertib layanan rumah tangga baginda tetap berjalan rapi, menandakan kesinambungan tugas dan adat yang telah berakar.

Word by Word

आरालिकाःcooks/chefs (ārālikas)

सूपकाराःsoup-makers

रागखाण्डविकाःmakers of rāga and khāṇḍava (sweetmeats/dishes)

तथाand also/likewise

उपातिष्ठन्तattended upon/served

राजानम्the king

धृतराष्ट्रम्Dhṛtarāṣṭra

यथाas/just as

पुराformerly/before

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

ārālikāḥ (kitchen attendants)

sūpakārāḥ (soup-cooks)

rāgakhāṇḍavikāḥ (specialty cooks/confectioners)

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 continuity of duty and orderly service: even as circumstances change, established roles and respectful attendance upon elders and rulers can persist as a form of social dharma, provided it is conducted with propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s attendants in the kitchen—specialist cooks for staple dishes, soups, and delicacies—continuing to serve him on suitable occasions, just as they did earlier in his royal life.