Shloka 18

धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas

Devanagari script

सर्वथैव महाराज शरीरं धारयेदिह । प्रेत्य चेह च कर्तव्यमात्मनि:श्रेयसं परम्‌

Transliteration

sarvathaiva mahārāja śarīraṃ dhārayediha | pretya ceha ca kartavyam ātmaniḥśreyasaṃ param ||

Translation

持国王说道：“噢大王，在此世间，当以一切方法护持此身。并凭此身，当行当行之事，以成就自身最高的福祉——无论在此世，抑或身后。”

Word by Word

• सर्वथा: in every way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा

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

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धारयेत्: should sustain/maintain
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• प्रेत्य: having departed (after death)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-इ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), ल्यप्

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done/should be done
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Gerundive (तव्यत्)

• आत्मनि: in/for oneself
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• निःश्रेयसम्: highest good, ultimate welfare
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्रेयस
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• परम्: supreme
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that preserving the body is not an end in itself but a support for dharmic effort: one should maintain bodily life so that one can pursue the highest good (niḥśreyasa), securing welfare both in this life and beyond.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks reflectively about right conduct in the later stage of life, emphasizing disciplined self-maintenance and purposeful action aimed at ultimate spiritual welfare rather than mere survival.