Shloka 24
धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति व्यवहार-रक्षा-नियमनोपदेशः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Instruction on Administration, Punishment, and Daily Governance
न तदा त्वां पिता ज्येष्ठ: पितृत्वेनाभिवीक्षते | “जब तुम सब लोग तेरह वर्षोतक वनमें जंगली फल-मूल खाकर किसी तरह जी रहे थे, उन दिनों तुम्हारे ये ताऊजी पिताके भावसे तुम्हारी ओर नहीं देखते थे ।।
na tadā tvāṃ pitā jyeṣṭhaḥ pitṛtvenābhivīkṣate | kiṃ te tad vismṛtaṃ pārtha yad eṣa kula-pāṃsanaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Pada masa itu, ‘bapa’ yang tua—bapa saudaramu—tidak memandangmu dengan kasih seorang ayah. Sudahkah engkau lupa, wahai Pārtha, ketika kamu semua terpaksa bertahan hidup di rimba selama tiga belas tahun, memakan buah dan akar liar? Orang itu—noda aib keturunan—tidak memperlakukanmu seperti anaknya sendiri.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse rebukes the failure of elder guardians to uphold paternal responsibility (pitṛ-dharma). It frames neglect during hardship as a moral fault and urges remembrance of past injustice when judging character and duty.
Vaiśampāyana recalls how, during the Pāṇḍavas’ long forest hardship, the elder uncle who should have acted like a father did not show paternal concern. The speaker challenges Pārtha (Arjuna) not to forget this neglect and censures the offender as a disgrace to the lineage.