Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

पर्युपासनकाले तु विपरीतं विधीयते । आमर्दकाले राजेन्द्र व्यपसर्पेत्‌ ततः परम्‌

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | paryupāsanakāle tu viparītaṃ vidhīyate | āmardakāle rājendra vyapasarpet tataḥ param ||

Translation

持国说道：“当侦伺守候敌人之时，当行相反之策——不可使其安逸自信。诸王之最啊，若有辱没名节之虞，便当自彼处退去，继而投奔另一位友王以求庇护。”

Word by Word

• {'dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca': 'Dhṛtarāṣṭra said', 'paryupāsana-kāla': 'the time of attending upon, watching, lying in wait

• a period of strategic waiting', 'tu': 'but, indeed', 'viparītam': 'the opposite, contrary course

• counter-measure', 'vidhīyate': 'is prescribed, should be done', 'āmarda-kāla': 'time of crushing/being crushed

• a moment of humiliation or overpowering', 'rājendra': 'O lord of kings, O best of kings', 'vyapasarpet': 'should withdraw, should retreat, should move away', 'tataḥ param': 'after that, thereafter'}

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• rājendra (addressed king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Strategic conduct must fit the situation: during watchful engagement one should employ counter-measures that prevent the enemy from remaining secure, but if honour and position are about to be decisively crushed, prudent withdrawal and seeking protection with an ally is sanctioned.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra is giving counsel in the Ashramavāsika context, framing a principle of royal policy: oppose the enemy’s comfort through appropriate tactics, yet avoid ruinous humiliation by retreating and taking shelter with a friendly ruler when necessary.