Shloka 16
अध्याय ९ — धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति राजनित्युपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Royal Policy to Yudhiṣṭhira
पितृवद् भ्रातृवच्चैव भवन्त: पालयन्ति नः । न च दुर्योधन: किंचिदयुक्तं कृतवान् नृप:,“आपलोग पिता और बड़े भाईके समान हमारा पालन करते आये हैं। राजा दुर्योधनने भी हमारे साथ कोई अनुचित बर्ताव नहीं किया है
pitṛvad bhrātṛvaccaiva bhavantaḥ pālayanti naḥ | na ca duryodhanaḥ kiñcid ayuktaṃ kṛtavān nṛpaḥ |
พวกท่านได้อภิบาลพวกข้าพระองค์ดุจบิดาและดุจพี่ชายผู้ใหญ่ และแม้พระราชาทุรโยธน์เองก็หาได้กระทำสิ่งใดอันไม่สมควรต่อพวกข้าพระองค์ไม่
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of guardianship and gratitude: when elders protect like a father and brothers, the protected feel bound to acknowledge that care. It also shows how loyalty and dependence can shape moral judgment—one may defend a ruler’s conduct as “not improper,” even when broader dharma may later reveal deeper faults.
In Vaiśaṃpāyana’s narration, a speaker (contextually aligned with those supported by the Kuru court) expresses appreciation for the elders’ paternal and fraternal protection and asserts that King Duryodhana has not treated them unjustly. The statement functions as a justification of allegiance and a defense of Duryodhana’s behavior toward them.