Shloka 24

Vidura’s Message to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Authorization for Dāna and Public Welfare (विदुरवाक्यम्—दानानुज्ञा)

Devanagari script

अहो भगवता श्रद्धा कुरुराजस्य वर्धिता । सर्वस्य च जनस्यास्य मम चैव महाद्युते,“महातेजस्वी देवर्षे! बड़े हर्षकी बात है कि आपने कुरुराज धृतराष्ट्रकी, यहाँ आये हुए सब लोगोंकी और मेरी भी तपस्याविषयक श्रद्धाको अधिक बढ़ा दिया है

Transliteration

aho bhagavatā śraddhā kururājasya vardhitā | sarvasya ca janasya asya mama caiva mahādyute ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «Как дивно! Твоим благословенным присутствием укрепилась вера царя Дхритараштры из рода Куру; укрепилась и вера всех людей, собравшихся здесь, и даже моя, о великий сияющий!»

Word by Word

अहोah!/indeed

भगवताby the venerable one (you)

श्रद्धाfaith

कुरुराजस्यof the Kuru-king

वर्धिताincreased/augmented

सर्वस्यof all

चand

जनस्यof the people

अस्यof this (here/present)

ममof me/my

चand

एवindeed/just

महाद्युतेO great-splendored one

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Kururāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra implied by context)

mahādyuti (addressed venerable figure, likely a devarṣi/ascetic in 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?

True spiritual presence and disciplined conduct can strengthen śraddhā—reverent confidence in dharma and tapas—not only in a single seeker but in an entire community. The verse highlights faith as something that can be awakened and increased through contact with holiness and right example.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Āśramavāsika setting, an exalted ascetic/divine sage is being addressed. Vaiśaṃpāyana reports the speaker’s admiration that the sage has uplifted and intensified the faith of the Kuru king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), the assembled people, and the speaker himself—signaling a collective moral-spiritual encouragement amid the forest-āśrama life.