Shloka 8
Bhīmasya paruṣa-vākyaṃ
Bhīma’s Harsh Speech Heard by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī
अहं तु पुत्रो भगवन् पिता राजा गुरुश्न मे । निदेशवर्ती च पितु: पुत्रो भवति धर्मत:,“भगवन्! राजा धृतराष्ट्र हमारे पिता और गुरु हैं। धर्मतः पुत्र ही पिताकी आज्ञाके अधीन होता है। (वह पिताको आज्ञा कैसे दे सकता है)”
ahaṃ tu putro bhagavan pitā rājā guruś ca me | nideśavartī ca pituḥ putro bhavati dharmataḥ ||
“ข้าแต่ภควาน! ข้าพเจ้าเป็นบุตร; พระราชาทรงเป็นทั้งพระบิดาและครูของข้าพเจ้า. ตามธรรม บุตรย่อมต้องอยู่ใต้พระบัญชาของบิดา—แล้วข้าพเจ้าจะบังอาจออกคำสั่งแก่พระบิดาได้อย่างไร?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes putra-dharma: a son’s ethical obligation is to honor and obey his father, who is also regarded as a guru. This frames authority as flowing from parent/teacher to child, making it improper for the son to command the father.
In the Ashramavāsika context, a speaker (as reported by Vaiśaṃpāyana) expresses reluctance to direct or overrule King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, arguing that since Dhṛtarāṣṭra is his father and teacher, dharma requires the son to follow the father’s instructions rather than issue instructions to him.