Shloka 37
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पाण्डवेषु प्रीति-वृत्तान्तः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Affectionate Disposition toward the Pāṇḍavas
चीरवल्कलभूद् राजन् गान्धार्या सहितोडनया । तवाशिष: प्रयुञ्जानो भविष्यामि वनेचर:,“राजन! वहाँ मैं चीर और वल्कल धारण करके इस गान्धारीके साथ वनमें विचरूँगा और तुम्हें आशीर्वाद देता रहूँगा
cīravalakalabhūd rājan gāndhāryā sahito 'naghā | tavāśiṣaḥ prayuñjāno bhaviṣyāmi vanecaraḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra nói: “Tâu Đại vương, cùng với Gāndhārī không tì vết này, ta sẽ khoác áo vỏ cây và giẻ rách, trở thành kẻ du cư nơi rừng. Sống đời lữ khách rừng sâu, ta sẽ vẫn ban phúc lành cho ngươi.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic transition of an aged ruler toward renunciation: adopting austere dress and forest-dwelling, while still fulfilling a moral duty to bless and support the rightful king. It frames withdrawal from power not as abandonment, but as a disciplined life-stage aligned with restraint and spiritual responsibility.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra declares to the king he addresses (in context, the reigning Pāṇḍava king) that he will go to the forest with Gāndhārī, wearing ascetic bark-garments and simple cloth, living as a forest-roamer, and continuing to offer blessings.