Shloka 16

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement

Devanagari script

यदिदानीमहं ब्रूयामस्मिन्‌ काल उपस्थिते

Transliteration

yad idānīm ahaṃ brūyām asmin kāla upasthite, pālayāmāsa nas tāto viditārtho na saṃśayaḥ | yad anyena madīyena tad anujñātum arha tha | me putraiś ca mayā sambandha-vatā anyena vā yuṣmākaṃ yat kiṃcid aparādhaṃ kṛtaṃ syāt, tat kṣamasva, gantum anujānīta || bhavadbhir na hi me manyuḥ kṛtapūrvaḥ kathaṃcana |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: “Agora, neste tempo que se abateu sobre nós, devo falar. Nosso antepassado, o grande rei Śāntanu, governou esta terra como convém—disso não há dúvida. Depois dele, nosso pai Vicitravīrya, protegido por Bhīṣma, resguardou este reino; também nisso não há incerteza. Se alguma outra pessoa ligada a mim deva igualmente receber licença, peço que a concedais. Qualquer ofensa que meus filhos, ou eu, ou qualquer parente meu tenha cometido contra vós—perdoai-a e concedei-nos permissão para partir. Pois de vossa parte jamais se mostrou ira contra mim em tempo algum.”

Word by Word

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Common, Nominative, Singular

• ब्रूयाम्: might say / should say
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (ब्रवीति)
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• काले: time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• उपस्थिते: having arrived / present
• उपस्थिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपस्थित
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पालयामास: protected / ruled
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (पालयति) / पा (पालने)
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Common, Genitive, Plural

• तातः: father
• तातः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विदितार्थः: knower of the truth/purpose
• विदितार्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदितार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवद्भिः: by you (hon.)
• भवद्भिः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• मे: my / of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Common, Genitive, Singular

• मन्युः: anger
• मन्युः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्यु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतपूर्वः: previously done/committed (i.e., harbored before)
• कृतपूर्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतपूर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथंचन: in any way / ever
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Śāntanu
• Bhīṣma
• Vicitravīrya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra's sons (Kauravas)
• Pṛthivī (the earth/kingdom)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage foregrounds ethical closure: acknowledging rightful kingship and duty (proper protection of the realm) while also seeking forgiveness for harms caused by oneself and one’s kin. It models humility, accountability, and the dharmic value of reconciliation before withdrawal or departure.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra (as reported by Vaiśaṃpāyana) speaks to the assembled elders/people, recalling the righteous rule of Śāntanu and the protection of Vicitravīrya under Bhīṣma, then asks that any offences by him or his sons be forgiven and requests permission to depart—signaling a transition toward leaving worldly life.