Shloka 12

अर्जुन–युधिष्ठिर–विदुर संवादः

Arjuna and Yudhiṣṭhira instruct Vidura on honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Devanagari script

स दीक्षां तत्र सम्प्राप्प राजा कौरवनन्दन: । शतयूपाश्रमे तस्मिन्‌ निवासमकरोत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

sa dīkṣāṃ tatra samprāpya rājā kauravanandanaḥ | śatayūpāśrame tasmin nivāsam akarot tadā ||

Translation

Sau khi thọ nhận tại đó lễ nhập môn dành cho kỷ luật của người vào rừng (vānaprastha), vị vương tử dòng Kuru—vua Dhṛtarāṣṭra—trở về ẩn thất Śatayūpa và cư trú tại ấy, quyết chí theo con đường khổ hạnh và tiết chế.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दीक्षाम्: initiation/vow (of forest-dwelling)
• दीक्षाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• सम्प्राप्य: having obtained/received
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कौरव-नन्दनः: delight/son of the Kauravas (Kaurava-descendant)
• कौरव-नन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरवनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शतयूप-आश्रमे: in the Śatayūpa hermitage
• शतयूप-आश्रमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतयूपाश्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• निवासम्: residence/dwelling
• निवासम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अकरोत्: made/established
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Śatayūpa Āśrama

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights āśrama-dharma: after fulfilling (and being burdened by) royal life, one may turn toward disciplined renunciation. Receiving dīkṣā signifies a conscious ethical shift—accepting restraint, simplicity, and accountability rather than continuing in attachment and power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, described as a Kuru prince, receives the initiation for forest-dwelling discipline and then returns to the Śatayūpa hermitage, where he begins residing in accordance with that vowed way of life.