Shloka 343
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
गान्धार्याश्रैव राजेन्द्र तदनुज्ञातुमरहसि । “वे सब युद्धमें सम्मुख मारे गये हैं
gāndhāryāś caiva rājendra tad anu jñātum arhasi |
Wika ni Dhṛtarāṣṭra: “O pinakamainam sa mga hari, ipagkaloob mo ang pahintulot sa akin at kay Gāndhārī. Ang lahat naming anak ay namatay na nakaharap sa kaaway sa digmaan, kaya’t narating nila ang mga daigdig na inilaan sa mga namamatay na may sandata. Ngayon, para sa aming pinakamataas na kapakinabangan, ako at si Gāndhārī ay dapat magsagawa ng nagpapadalisay na pag-aayuno at pagninilay (tapas); kaya pahintulutan mo kami.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic loss, one may turn toward purification and spiritual discipline. Dhṛtarāṣṭra frames renunciation and tapas as a pursuit of ultimate welfare (hita), while also acknowledging the warrior code that grants fallen fighters a destined posthumous realm.
In the Āśramavāsika episode, Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses Yudhiṣṭhira as ‘rājendra’ and seeks formal permission for himself and Gāndhārī to withdraw from courtly life and undertake ascetic austerities, interpreting the deaths of their sons as having led them to the warriors’ worlds.