Shloka 11

Devanagari script

सर्वास्ता: कौरवो राजा सम्पूज्यापालयद्‌ घृणी । वहाँ जो कोई भी स्त्रियाँ थीं, जिनके पति और पुत्र मारे गये थे, उन सबका कृपालु कुरुवंशी राजा युधिष्ठिर बड़े आदरके साथ पालन-पोषण करते थे ।। दीनान्धकृपणानां च गृहाच्छादनभोजनै:

Transliteration

sarvāstāḥ kauravo rājā sampūjya apālayad ghṛṇī | dīnāndhakṛpaṇānāṃ ca gṛhācchādanabhojanaiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana disse: O compassivo rei dos Kurus, Yudhiṣṭhira, tendo honrado devidamente todas aquelas mulheres, protegeu-as e sustentou-as. E também amparou os pobres, os cegos e os desvalidos — provendo-lhes abrigo, vestes e alimento — encarnando assim o dever régio após a devastação da guerra.

Word by Word

सर्वाःall

ताःthose

कौरवःthe Kuru (descendant of Kuru)

राजाking

सम्पूज्यhaving duly honored

अपालयत्protected / maintained

घृणीcompassionate, merciful

दीनof the poor/distressed

अन्धof the blind

कृपणानाम्of the wretched/poor

चand

गृहात्from (their) home/house

छादनwith coverings/clothing

भोजनैःwith food

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yudhiṣṭhira

Kuru (Kaurava lineage)

women bereaved by war (implicit from context)

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 rājadharma: a king’s duty is not only to rule but to protect and sustain the vulnerable—especially those harmed by war—through respectful care and material support (shelter, clothing, food).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the post-war setting of Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana describes Yudhiṣṭhira’s compassionate governance: he honors and maintains the bereaved women and supports the poor, blind, and destitute with basic necessities.