Shloka 3
Bhāgīrathī-tīra-śauca, Kurukṣetra-gamana, and Śatayūpa-āśrama-dīkṣā (गङ्गातीरशौच–कुरुक्षेत्रगमन–शतयूपाश्रमदीक्षा)
कच्चित् तेडपि निरातड्का वसन्ति विषये तव । कच्चिद् वर्तसि पौराणीं वृत्तिं राजर्षिसेविताम्
kaccit te 'pi nirātaṅkā vasanti viṣaye tava | kaccid vartasi paurāṇīṁ vṛttiṁ rājarṣi-sevitām ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Adakah rakyatmu di dalam kerajaannya hidup tanpa takut dan tanpa gangguan? Dan adakah engkau memerintah serta berperilaku menurut tata pemerintahan purba yang dihormati zaman, sebagaimana diamalkan dan dipelihara oleh para raja resi?”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma is measured by two standards: ensuring the people live without fear (security and justice) and personally adhering to the time-tested ethical norms of rajadharma exemplified by the royal sages.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, speaking to the reigning king (contextually Yudhiṣṭhira), inquires about the condition of the kingdom—whether the populace is safe and whether the king follows the ancient righteous model of governance.