Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्रं पुरस्कृत्य गान्धारीं च यशस्विनीम्‌ । मातरं च पृथां धीमान्‌ भ्रातृश्न पुरुषर्षभान्‌

Transliteration

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 |

Translation

ਬੁੱਧਿਮਾਨ ਕੁਰੂਕੁਲ-ਨੰਦਨ ਰਾਜਾ ਯੁਧਿਸ਼ਠਿਰ ਨੇ ਧ੍ਰਿਤਰਾਸ਼ਟਰ ਨੂੰ ਅੱਗੇ ਕਰਕੇ, ਯਸ਼ਸਵਿਨੀ ਗਾਂਧਾਰੀ ਦੇਵੀ, ਮਾਤਾ ਪૃਥਾ (ਕੁੰਤੀ) ਅਤੇ ਪੁਰਖ-ਸ਼੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ ਭਰਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਨਾਲ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਪ੍ਰਸਥਾਨ ਕੀਤਾ; ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਸ਼੍ਰੀਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ, ਵਿਵੇਕੀ ਵਿਦੁਰ, ਯੁਯੁਤਸੁ ਅਤੇ ਸਾਤ੍ਯਕੀ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੇ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhritarashtra
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / having led
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस् + कृ
• Form: Indeclinable, क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• गान्धारीम्: Gandhari
• गान्धारीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धारी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यशस्विनीम्: glorious, renowned
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्विनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पृथाम्: Pritha (Kunti)
• पृथाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• धीमान्: wise, intelligent
• धीमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भ्रातॄन्: brothers
• भ्रातॄन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पुरुषर्षभान्: bulls among men / best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विभो: O mighty one / O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुरुकुलनन्दन: O delight of the Kuru lineage
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुकुलनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• बुद्धिमान्: intelligent
• बुद्धिमान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Gāndhārī
• Pṛthā (Kuntī)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pāṇḍava brothers
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Vidura
• Yuyutsu
• Sātyaki
• Kuru dynasty

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.