Shloka 38
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
उचितं नः कुले तात सर्वेषां भरतर्षभ । पुत्रेष्वैश्वर्यमाधाय वयसो<न्ते वनं नूप,“तात! भरतश्रेष्ठ नरेश्वर! हमारे कुलके सभी राजाओंके लिये यही उचित है कि वे अन्तिम अवस्थामें पुत्रोंको राज्य देकर स्वयं वनमें पधारें
ucitaṃ naḥ kule tāta sarveṣāṃ bharatarṣabha | putreṣv aiśvaryam ādhāya vayaso 'nte vanaṃ nūpa ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra disse: “Meu filho, ó touro entre os Bharata, este é o costume adequado em nossa linhagem: todos os nossos reis, tendo confiado a soberania a seus filhos, ao fim da vida devem partir para a floresta. Tal retiro honra o dharma—entrega a responsabilidade a tempo, afrouxa o apego ao poder e volta a mente para a austeridade e o bem derradeiro.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should relinquish power at the proper time—entrusting the kingdom to the next generation—and turn toward forest-discipline/renunciation, embodying detachment and the life-stage ideal (vānaprastha) as a fulfillment of dharma.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra justifies the decision to withdraw to the forest by appealing to ancestral royal custom: kings of their line, after installing their sons in sovereignty, leave worldly rule in old age and adopt forest-life.