Shloka 3

धृतराष्ट्रस्य वंशोपदेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Dynastic Counsel on Legitimate Rule

Devanagari script

तथा पाण्डुर्नरपति: सत्यसंधो जितेन्द्रिय: । राजा कुरूणां धर्मात्मा सुव्रतः सुसमाहित:

Transliteration

tathā pāṇḍur narapatiḥ satyasaṃdho jitendriyaḥ | rājā kurūṇāṃ dharmātmā suvrataḥ susamāhitaḥ ||

Translation

ฉันนั้นเอง พระเจ้าปาณฑุ ผู้เป็นนรปติ ทรงมั่นคงในสัจจะและทรงชนะอินทรีย์ เป็นราชาแห่งกุรุทั้งหลายก็จริง แต่ทรงเป็นผู้มีธรรมในดวงใจ ทรงรักษาพรตอันประเสริฐ และทรงมีจิตตั้งมั่นสงบลึก

Word by Word

तथाthus, likewise

पाण्डुःPāṇḍu

नरपतिःking (lord of men)

सत्यसन्धःtrue to his pledge, of firm truth

जितेन्द्रियःself-controlled (having conquered the senses)

राजाking

कुरूणाम्of the Kurus

धर्मात्माrighteous-souled, virtuous

सुव्रतःof good vows/observances

सुसमाहितःwell-composed, well-concentrated

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu (Vāyudeva)

Pāṇḍu

Kurus

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical ideal of rulership: a king should be anchored in truth (satya), restrain the senses (jitendriya), uphold dharma (dharmātmā), and maintain disciplined vows and inner composure (suvrata, susamāhita).

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu is describing Pāṇḍu’s character, praising him as a truthful, self-controlled, dharma-centered Kuru king—likely as part of a broader account that highlights the moral stature of the Pāṇḍava lineage.