Shloka 19

धृतराष्ट्रस्य सत्कारः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra Honored in the Post-war Court

Devanagari script

आरालिका: सूपकारा रागखाण्डविकास्तथा । उपातिष्ठन्त राजानं धृतराष्ट्रं यथा पुरा

Transliteration

ārālikāḥ sūpakārā rāgakhāṇḍavikās tathā | upātiṣṭhanta rājānaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ yathā purā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：正如往昔一般，精于宫中膳食的侍从——善制米食、羹汤与珍馐者——在适当之时仍侍奉持国王（Dhṛtarāṣṭra）。即便到了暮年，王室内廷的供奉依旧井然有序，显出职责与旧制的延续不绝。

Word by Word

• आरालिकाः: cooks/chefs (ārālikas)
• आरालिकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरालिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सूपकाराः: soup-makers
• सूपकाराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूपकार
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रागखाण्डविकाः: makers of rāga and khāṇḍava (sweetmeats/dishes)
• रागखाण्डविकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रागखाण्डविक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• उपातिष्ठन्त: attended upon/served
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धृतराष्ट्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पुरा: formerly/before
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• ārālikāḥ (kitchen attendants)
• sūpakārāḥ (soup-cooks)
• rāgakhāṇḍavikāḥ (specialty cooks/confectioners)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights continuity of duty and orderly service: even as circumstances change, established roles and respectful attendance upon elders and rulers can persist as a form of social dharma, provided it is conducted with propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s attendants in the kitchen—specialist cooks for staple dishes, soups, and delicacies—continuing to serve him on suitable occasions, just as they did earlier in his royal life.