Shloka 2

धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्षमायाचनं तथा युधिष्ठिरे न्यासदानम् / Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Forgiveness and the Entrustment to Yudhiṣṭhira

Devanagari script

कार्तिक्यां कारयित्वेष्टिं ब्राह्मुणैवेंदपारगै:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | kārtikyāṃ kārayitveṣṭiṃ brāhmaṇair vedapāragaiḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“迦尔提迦月的满月之日，持国王令通达吠陀的婆罗门为其行旅之时举行相应的伊什提祭（iṣṭi）。随后，他披树皮衣、着鹿皮，以家祭圣火阿耆尼火供（Agnihotra）为先导，周围簇拥着诸子之妻，遂自王宫出发。”

Word by Word

• कार्तिक्याम्: on (the day of) Kārtikī (full-moon of Kārtika)
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कारयित्वा: having caused (to be done)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (कारयति, causative)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• इष्टिम्: a (Vedic) sacrifice/oblation-rite
• इष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• इन्दपारगैः: by those who had gone to the far shore of the Veda (Veda-experts)
• इन्दपारगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदपारग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kārttika (month / full-moon)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Veda
• iṣṭi (sacrificial rite)
• valkala (bark-garment)
• mṛgacarma (deer-skin)
• agnihotra (sacred fire rite)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• royal palace (rājabhavana)
• sons’ wives (pūtra-vadhūḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma through a conscious shift from royal life to disciplined renunciation: before departing, Dhṛtarāṣṭra ensures Vedic rites are duly performed and keeps agnihotra central, showing that withdrawal from power should be guided by ritual responsibility, self-restraint, and ethical reorientation rather than mere escape.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the Kārttika full-moon, Dhṛtarāṣṭra arranges an iṣṭi sacrifice through Veda-knowing Brāhmaṇas, adopts ascetic attire (bark and deer-skin), prioritizes the agnihotra, and then leaves the palace accompanied by his sons’ wives—marking the beginning of his forest-dwelling phase.