Shloka 2

Āśramāgamanam — The Pāṇḍavas Arrive at Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्रस्तु धर्मात्मा पाण्डवै: सहितस्तदा । शुचिरेकमना सार्धमृषिभिस्तैरुपाविशत्‌

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭras tu dharmātmā pāṇḍavaiḥ sahitas tadā | śucir ekamanā sārdham ṛṣibhis tair upāviśat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: Então Dhṛtarāṣṭra, justo de coração, acompanhado pelos Pāṇḍavas, sentou-se com aqueles sábios—purificado no corpo e na mente, e com a atenção recolhida numa concentração única. A cena ressalta a passagem do poder régio para a contenção disciplinada e a reflexão sobre o dharma na vida da floresta.

Word by Word

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

तुbut/indeed

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled

पाण्डवैःwith the Pandavas

सहितःaccompanied (by)

तदाthen

शुचिःpure/clean

एकमनाःsingle-minded

सार्धम्together/along with

ऋषिभिःwith sages

तैःwith those (sages)

उपाविशत्sat down/was seated

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍavas

Ṛ

Ṛṣis (sages)

Vaiśampāyana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic inwardness: even a former king like Dhṛtarāṣṭra is portrayed as cultivating purity (śuci) and single-pointed composure (ekamanā) in the company of sages, suggesting that ethical renewal and self-restraint are central to the forest stage of life.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Āśramavāsika setting, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, accompanied by the Pāṇḍavas, sits down with the assembled ṛṣis. The action marks a formal, respectful participation in ascetic/ritual or counsel-oriented proceedings, emphasizing a shift from courtly life to contemplative forest discipline.