Shloka 20
Divākara-prasāda and the Establishment of Akṣaya-anna
Sūrya’s Favor and Inexhaustible Provision
असंशयं तेडपि ममैव पुत्रा दुर्योधनस्तु मम देहात् प्रसूत: । स्वं वै देहं परहेतोस्त्यजेति को नु ब्रूयात् समतामन्ववेक्ष्य,इसमें संदेह नहीं कि पाण्डव भी मेरे पुत्र हैं, पर दुर्योधन साक्षात् मेरे शरीरसे उत्पन्न हुआ है। समताकी ओर दृष्टि रखते हुए भी कौन किसको ऐसी बातें कहेगा कि तुम दूसरेके हितके लिये अपने शरीरका त्याग कर दो
asaṁśayaṁ te ’pi mamaiva putrā duryodhanas tu mama dehāt prasūtaḥ | svaṁ vai dehaṁ parahetoḥ tyajeti ko nu brūyāt samatām anvavekṣya ||
Não há dúvida de que os Pāṇḍavas também são meus próprios filhos; contudo, Duryodhana nasceu diretamente do meu corpo. Mesmo que alguém tente olhar com imparcialidade, quem diria a outrem: «Abandona o teu próprio corpo pelo bem de outro»?
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between impartial justice (samatā) and natural attachment: even when one knows what fairness demands, deep bodily and familial identification can make true neutrality psychologically difficult.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra reflects on his relationship to both branches of the Kuru family: he acknowledges the Pāṇḍavas as his sons, yet admits a stronger pull toward Duryodhana, his biological son, arguing that few would ask someone to sacrifice their own life-body for another’s cause.