Shloka 5

धृतराष्ट्र-सत्कारः तथा श्राद्ध-दाने नियमनम् | Honoring Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Regulating Śrāddha-Gifts

Devanagari script

पितृवत्तेषु चाह:सु पुत्राणां श्राद्धकर्मणि

Transliteration

pitṛvat teṣu cāhaḥsu putrāṇāṃ śrāddhakarmaṇi, viparītakaśna me śatrur niyamyāśna bhavennaraḥ |

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“在诸子举行施罗陀（śrāddha，祭祖）之日，人当节制饮食，并以待父之礼敬奉长者。若有人反其道而行，便成我的仇敌；惟有自持守戒、安住法度者，方可称为端正之人。”在叙事中，这凸显坚战王温厚的治政：他屡屡告诫诸弟与群臣，持国应受尊敬；奉行老王之命，是友善与正义之标志；而抗命则被视为敌对，当受惩治。

Word by Word

• पितृवत्: like a father
• पितृवत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पितृवत्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverbial)

• तेषु: in/among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• अहःसु: on days
• अहःसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Plural

• पुत्राणाम्: of sons
• पुत्राणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्राद्धकर्मणि: in the śrāddha-rite
• श्राद्धकर्मणि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्धकर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विपरीतकः: one who is contrary
• विपरीतकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: Avyaya (negation)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• शत्रुः: enemy
• शत्रुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नियम्य: having restrained/controlled
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), indeclinable

• अश्नन्: eating
• अश्नन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवेत्: should be/become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• sons (putrāḥ, as performers of śrāddha)
• brothers of Yudhiṣṭhira (implied)
• ministers (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharma expressed as reverence to elders (pitṛvat), disciplined conduct (niyamya), and social-ethical order: honoring rightful authority and acting with restraint—especially in contexts like śrāddha—marks a person as righteous, while contrary conduct is treated as hostility to dharma and governance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana frames Yudhiṣṭhira’s compassionate rule: he instructs his brothers and ministers to treat Dhṛtarāṣṭra as a venerable elder and to follow his directives; those who comply are counted as friends, while those who oppose are regarded as enemies liable to punishment.