Shloka 5
धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts
पितृवत्तेषु चाह:सु पुत्राणां श्राद्धकर्मणि
pitṛvat teṣu cāhaḥsu putrāṇāṃ śrāddhakarmaṇi, viparītakaśna me śatrur niyamyāśna bhavennaraḥ |
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Sa mga araw na isinasagawa ng mga anak ang mga ritwal na śrāddha, ang tao’y dapat kumain nang may pagpipigil, at ituring ang matatanda na parang sariling mga ama. Ang sinumang kumilos nang salungat ay nagiging kaaway ko; ngunit ang taong may disiplina at masunurin ay dapat ituring na marapat.” Sa tagpo ng salaysay, itinatampok nito ang mahinahong pamamahala ni Yudhiṣṭhira: paulit-ulit niyang ipinapaalala na si Dhṛtarāṣṭra ay karapat-dapat igalang, at ang katapatan sa mga utos ng nakatatandang hari ang tanda ng pagkakaibigan at katuwiran, samantalang ang pagsuway ay itinuturing na pagkapoot na nararapat parusahan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes dharma expressed as reverence to elders (pitṛvat), disciplined conduct (niyamya), and social-ethical order: honoring rightful authority and acting with restraint—especially in contexts like śrāddha—marks a person as righteous, while contrary conduct is treated as hostility to dharma and governance.
Vaiśampāyana frames Yudhiṣṭhira’s compassionate rule: he instructs his brothers and ministers to treat Dhṛtarāṣṭra as a venerable elder and to follow his directives; those who comply are counted as friends, while those who oppose are regarded as enemies liable to punishment.