Shloka 10

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा धर्मराज: स वासुदेवस्य धीमत: । मातुलस्य च वृद्धस्य रामादीनां तथैव च

Transliteration

ity uktvā dharmarājaḥ sa vāsudevasya dhīmataḥ | mātulasya ca vṛddhasya rāmādīnāṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

یوں کہہ کر دھرم راج یُدھشٹھِر نے دانا واسودیو سے، اپنے بوڑھے ماموں سے، اور اسی طرح بلرام وغیرہ سے بھی—پورے ادب و احترام کے ساتھ—خطاب کیا۔

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

धर्मराजःKing Dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira)

सःhe

वासुदेवस्यof Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

धीमतःof the wise

मातुलस्यof the maternal uncle

चand

वृद्धस्यof the aged/elder

रामादीनाम्of Rāma and others

तथाlikewise

एवindeed/just

चand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

mātula (maternal uncle, unnamed here)

Rāma (likely Balarāma, contextually)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dhārmic conduct through deference to wisdom and seniority: before undertaking a decisive course, Dharmarāja turns to revered figures—Vāsudeva and elders—signaling that ethical action is grounded in respectful consultation and honoring those worthy of regard.

What is happening in the narrative?

After making a preceding statement, Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja) now directs his attention to Vāsudeva, his aged maternal uncle, and to Rāma and others—indicating he is addressing or taking leave of key elders and kin at the outset of the Mahāprasthāna (the great departure).