Shloka 18
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Public Request for Consent to Enter the Forest (अनुज्ञा-प्रार्थना)
दशाहमेवं दानानि दत्त्वा राजाम्बिकासुतः । बभूव पुत्रपौत्राणामनृणो भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! इस प्रकार लगातार दस दिनोंतक दान देकर अम्बिकानन्दन राजा धृतराष्ट्र पुत्रों और पौत्रोंके ऋणसे मुक्त हो गये
daśāham evaṁ dānāni dattvā rājāmbikāsutaḥ | babhūva putrapautrāṇām anṛṇo bharatarṣabha ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Demikianlah, selama sepuluh hari raja—putera Ambikā (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)—terus-menerus mengurniakan sedekah dan hadiah kebajikan; dan dengan demikian, wahai banteng di antara keturunan Bharata, baginda terbebas daripada hutang yang dirasakannya terhadap anak-anak dan cucu-cucunya.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sustained dāna (charitable giving) is presented as a dharmic means to discharge one’s perceived obligations (ṛṇa) toward family and dependents—transforming inner guilt or duty into constructive, socially beneficial action.
Vaiśampāyana reports that Dhṛtarāṣṭra, identified as Ambikā’s son, continues giving gifts for ten consecutive days; through this prolonged charity he is described as becoming ‘anṛṇa’—freed from the burden of debt/obligation toward his sons and grandsons.