Shloka 9
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement
अहं हि तावत् सर्वेषां तेषां दुर्दयूतदेविनाम् पुत्राणां दातुमिच्छामि प्रेतभावानुगं वसु
ahaṃ hi tāvat sarveṣāṃ teṣāṃ durdayūtadevinām putrāṇāṃ dātum icchāmi pretabhāvānugaṃ vasu, hataputrāv imau vṛddhau viditvā duḥkhitau tathā
Dhṛtarāṣṭra disse: “Quanto a mim, desejo oferecer riquezas—como convém aos que partiram—por todos aqueles filhos que foram arruinados pelo mal do jogo. Sabendo que nós dois, pais idosos, estamos privados de nossos filhos e submersos em tristeza, quero fazer essas dádivas.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic wrongdoing and loss, one should turn toward dharmic repair: acknowledging the cause (ruinous gambling), accepting grief without denial, and performing appropriate duties for the dead through rightful gifts and rites.
In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra expresses a wish to make offerings/charitable gifts of wealth suitable for the departed, on behalf of the sons lost due to the chain of events set in motion by the disastrous dice-game, while recognizing the sorrow of the two aged parents.