Shloka 23
धृतराष्ट्रस्य स्पर्शाभिलाषः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Request for Touch and Permission for Tapas
अश्वमेधसहस्रेण यो यजेत् पृथिवीपति: । पालयेद् वापि धर्मेण प्रजास्तुल्यं फलं लभेत्
aśvamedha-sahasreṇa yo yajet pṛthivī-patiḥ | pālayed vāpi dharmeṇa prajāḥ tulyam phalaṁ labhet |
持国王说道：“一位大地之主若举行一千次马祭（阿湿婆梅陀），而另一位国王若转而依达摩护持臣民——二者所得功果等同。”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that ethical rule—protecting and sustaining the people according to dharma—can yield the same spiritual merit as grand sacrificial rituals. It prioritizes lived responsibility (rajadharma) over mere ceremonial magnificence.
In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra reflects on dharma and merit while the elders have withdrawn from courtly life. He articulates a principle of moral equivalence: the king’s righteous protection of subjects stands on par with the highest royal sacrifices.