Shloka 19
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Departure for Forest Life
निर्यातयत मे सेनां प्रभूतरथकुञ्जराम् | द्रक्ष्यामि वनसंस्थं च धृतराष्ट्र महीपतिम्,“तुमलोग बहुत-से रथ और हाथी-घोड़ोंसे सुसज्जित सेनाको कूच करनेकी आज्ञा दो। मैं वनवासी महाराज धृतराष्ट्रके दर्शन करनेके लिये चलूँगा”
niryātayata me senāṁ prabhūta-ratha-kuñjarām | drakṣyāmi vana-saṁsthaṁ ca dhṛtarāṣṭraṁ mahīpatim ||
రాజు పలికెను— “అనేక రథాలు, గజరాజులతో సమృద్ధిగా ఉన్న నా సేనను బయలుదేరు చేయుడి. అరణ్యంలో నివసిస్తున్న మహీపతి ధృతరాష్ట్రుని దర్శించుటకు నేను వెళ్తాను.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic conflict, dharma can require respectful approach and reconciliation: the speaker prepares to meet the elder king Dhṛtarāṣṭra in his forest life, acknowledging his changed station and maintaining social-ethical obligations toward elders and former rulers.
A decision is announced to mobilize an army—rich in chariots and war-elephants—so that the speaker may travel to the forest and have an audience with Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who has withdrawn from royal life and is living as a forest-dweller.