Shloka 18
धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts
यद् यद् ब्रूते च किंचित् स धृतराष्ट्री जनाधिप:
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
yad yad brūte ca kiṃcit sa dhṛtarāṣṭrī janādhipaḥ |
viparītakaś ca me śatrur niyamyas ca bhaven naraḥ ||
毗舍摩耶那说道：“持国王乃万民之主，凡他在任何事务上所下之命，顺从者当视为我的善友；违逆其言者即为我的仇敌，必当加以约束、施以惩戒。”友提湿提罗素来温和沉静，便以此在众前将自身权威系于对长者之敬，使服从持国王之命成为衡量忠诚与达摩的准绳。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate authority is exercised through humility and dharma: Yudhiṣṭhira treats the elder Dhṛtarāṣṭra as worthy of honor and makes loyalty measurable by obedience to the elder’s rightful commands, while also affirming that disorderly, contrary conduct must be restrained for the sake of social stability.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira governs with deference to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He declares that those who follow Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s instructions are his friends, and those who oppose them are to be treated as enemies and disciplined—showing his commitment to honoring elders and maintaining order.