Shloka 7

Bhāgīrathī-tīra-śauca, Kurukṣetra-gamana, and Śatayūpa-āśrama-dīkṣā (गङ्गातीरशौच–कुरुक्षेत्रगमन–शतयूपाश्रमदीक्षा)

Devanagari script

अतिथीनन्नपानेन कच्चिदर्चसि भारत । कच्चिन्नयपथे विप्रा: स्वकर्मनिरतास्तव

Transliteration

atithīn annapānena kaccid arcasī bhārata | kaccin nayapathe viprāḥ svakarmaniratās tava ||

Translation

ధృతరాష్ట్రుడు అన్నాడు—ఓ భారతా! నీవు అతిథులను అన్నపానాలతో యథావిధిగా సత్కరిస్తున్నావా? అలాగే నీ ఆధీనంలోని విప్రులు తమ తమ నియత కర్మాలలో నిమగ్నులై, సదాచార మార్గంలో నడుస్తున్నారా?

Word by Word

अतिथीन्guests

अन्नपानेनwith food and drink

कच्चित्whether (I hope that)

अर्चसिyou honor / worship

भारतO Bharata

कच्चित्whether (I hope that)

नयपथेon the path of right conduct / policy

विप्राःbrahmins

स्वकर्मनिरताःengaged in their own duties

तवof you / your

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bhārata (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Atithi (guests)

Vipra (brāhmaṇas)

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 emphasizes rāja-dharma expressed through everyday ethics: honoring guests with proper hospitality and ensuring that learned brāhmaṇas remain established in right conduct and their prescribed duties. Social and moral order is sustained not only by power but by care, generosity, and guidance toward dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses Yudhiṣṭhira (called “Bhārata”) with concerned, courteous questions. He inquires whether Yudhiṣṭhira is maintaining proper household/royal responsibilities—especially guest-honor and the welfare and discipline of brāhmaṇas—reflecting the continuing concern for dharma in the post-war, forest-dwelling context of Āśramavāsika.