Shloka 23

धृतराष्ट्राश्रमगमनम् — The Pandavas’ Procession to Dhritarashtra’s Hermitage

Devanagari script

राजा च पाण्डवै: सार्थमिष्टे देशे सहानुग: । निवासमकरोदू धीमान्‌ सस्त्रीवृद्धपुर:सर:,बुद्धिमान्‌ राजा धृतराष्ट्र स्त्रियों और वृद्धोंको आगे करके पाण्डवों तथा सेवकोंके साथ वहाँ अभीष्ट स्थानमें ठहरे

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | rājā ca pāṇḍavaiḥ sārtham iṣṭe deśe sahānugaḥ | nivāsam akarod dhīmān sa-strī-vṛddha-puraḥsaraḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Vua Dhṛtarāṣṭra, bậc trí, cùng tùy tùng, an trú tại một nơi đã chọn, êm thuận, ở cùng các Pāṇḍava; ngài để phụ nữ và người già đi trước—một cử chỉ của sự chăm nom, đúng phép, và dharma bảo hộ trong lúc rút lui khỏi quyền thế trần gian.

Word by Word

राजाthe king

चand

पाण्डवैःwith the Pandavas

सार्थम्together (with)

इष्टेin the desired/chosen

देशेplace, region

सहwith

अनुगःattendant, follower

निवासम्dwelling, residence

अकरोत्made, established

उindeed/also (emphatic particle)

धीमान्wise, intelligent

सस्त्रीवृद्धपुरःसरःhaving women and the aged in front (as leaders)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Pāṇḍavas

attendants/followers (anuga)

women (strī)

elderly (vṛddha)

chosen place (iṣṭa deśa)

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?

Even amid political decline and personal loss, dharma expresses itself through orderly conduct and protection: the vulnerable (women and elders) are honored and safeguarded first, while the powerful accept a disciplined, restrained mode of life.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, no longer ruling, settles in a suitable place together with the Pāṇḍavas and his attendants, arranging the group so that women and the elderly go foremost, indicating a careful, respectful transition into an ashrama-like residence.