Shloka 31
अक्षविजय-प्रसङ्गः
Escalation of Wagers and Shakuni’s Repeated Declarations of Victory
राजा धृतराष्ट्रने कुरुकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाले युधिष्ठिर तथा भीमसेन आदि अन्य चारों पाण्डवोंका मस्तक सूँघा ।। ततो हर्ष: समभवत् कौरवाणां विशाम्पते । तान् दष्टवा पुरुषव्याप्रान् पाण्डवान् प्रियदर्शनान्,जनमेजय! उन पुरुषश्रेष्ठ प्रियदर्शन पाण्डवोंको आये देख कौरवोंको बड़ा हर्ष हुआ
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ kuru-kula-kānandita-karaṇe yudhiṣṭhiraṃ bhīmasenaṃ cānyaṃś ca catvāraḥ pāṇḍavān mūrdhānam āghrāya |
tato harṣaḥ samabhavat kauravāṇāṃ viśāṃ-pate |
tān dṛṣṭvā puruṣa-vyāghrān pāṇḍavān priya-darśanān janamejaya ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: Vua Dhṛtarāṣṭra, người làm rạng vui dòng Kuru, âu yếm ngửi đỉnh đầu Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīmasena và các Pāṇḍava khác. Rồi, hỡi bậc chúa tể loài người, này Janamejaya, thấy những Pāṇḍava ấy—như hổ giữa bậc trượng phu, dung mạo khả ái—các Kaurava tràn ngập niềm hoan hỷ lớn lao.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic surface of royal and familial conduct—showing respect, affection, and welcome to kinsmen. It also invites reflection on how outward propriety can coexist with unspoken political rivalry, a recurring ethical tension in the epic.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra greets the Pāṇḍavas with an affectionate gesture (smelling their heads), and the Kauravas feel joy upon seeing the heroic, pleasing-to-behold Pāṇḍavas arrive at court, as narrated by Vaiśampāyana to King Janamejaya.