Shloka 6

Ādi-parva Adhyāya 141: Bhīma–Hiḍimba Confrontation and Protective Discourse

Devanagari script

एष जात: कुलस्यास्य कीर्तिवंशप्रणाशन: । धृतराष्ट्र: परीतात्मा धर्म त्यजति शाश्वतम्‌,“देवि! राजा धृतराष्ट्र इस कुरुकुलकी कीर्ति एवं वंशपरम्पराका नाश करनेवाले पैदा हुए हैं। इनका चित्त पुत्रोंके प्रति ममतासे व्याप्त हुआ है, इसलिये ये सनातन धर्मका त्याग कर रहे हैं। शुभे! जलके मार्गमें यह नाव तैयार है, जो हवा और लहरोंके वेगको भलीभाँति सह सकती है। इसीके द्वारा (कहीं अन्यत्र जाकर) तुम पुत्रोंसहित मौतकी फाँसीसे छूट सकोगी”

Transliteration

eṣa jātaḥ kulasyāsya kīrtivaṃśapraṇāśanaḥ | dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ parītātmā dharmaṃ tyajati śāśvatam ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“夫人啊！这位持国王（Dhṛtarāṣṭra）生来便将毁坏此族的声名与世系。他的内心尽为对诸子的执爱所占据，因此正背弃那永恒的法（dharma）。”

Word by Word

एषःthis (man)

जातःborn

कुलस्यof the family

अस्यof this

कीर्ति-वंश-प्रणाशनःdestroyer of fame and lineage

धृतराष्ट्रःDhṛtarāṣṭra

परीत-आत्माone whose mind is enveloped/overcome

धर्मम्dharma, righteousness

त्यजतिabandons

शाश्वतम्eternal, perpetual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Kuru kula (the Kuru lineage)

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?

Excessive attachment—especially a ruler’s partiality toward his own children—can eclipse discernment and lead to the abandonment of śāśvata-dharma (enduring moral duty), bringing harm not only to oneself but to the reputation and continuity of an entire lineage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana characterizes Dhṛtarāṣṭra as a figure whose son-centered attachment overwhelms his judgment, causing him to forsake righteous conduct; this is framed as a cause of future disgrace and dynastic ruin for the Kuru line.