Shloka 6

धृतराष्ट्र-सेवा, राज्य-कार्य-विभागः

Service to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Allocation of State Duties

Devanagari script

यदि चाहमनुग्राह्मो भवतां सुहृदां तथा । धृतराष्ट्रे यथापूर्व वृत्तिं वर्तितुमरहथ

Transliteration

yadi cāham anugrāhyo bhavatāṃ suhṛdāṃ tathā | dhṛtarāṣṭre yathāpūrvaṃ vṛttiṃ vartitum arhatha ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: “Se de fato quereis mostrar-me favor, vós, amigos bem-intencionados, então deveis continuar a portar-vos para com o rei Dhṛtarāṣṭra como antes—mantendo a mesma disposição e o mesmo modo de tratá-lo.”

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• अनुग्राह्यः: to be favored / one who should be shown favor
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुग्राह्य
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भवताम्: of you (honorific plural)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• सुहृदाम्: of friends / well-wishers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• तथा: thus / in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• धृतराष्ट्रे: towards/in the case of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• यथा: as / just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पूर्वम्: formerly / before
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व

• वृत्तिम्: conduct / behavior / attitude
• वृत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति
• Form: feminine, accusative, singular

• वर्तितुम्: to behave / to conduct oneself
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (वर्तते)
• Form: infinitive (tumun)

• अर्हथ: you ought / you are fit (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: present indicative (lat), second, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes ethical continuity in relationships: even after upheaval, one should maintain respectful, steady conduct toward an elder king like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, guided by goodwill (suhṛt-bhāva) rather than shifting emotions or political convenience.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating events, conveys an appeal to the assembled well-wishers: if they wish to show him favor, they should keep treating Dhṛtarāṣṭra with the same regard and behavior they had shown earlier, preserving established courtesies and obligations.