Mahabharata · 1.102.15–16
॥
Devanāgarī
धृतराष्ट्रश् च पाण्डुश् च विदुरश् च महामतिः ॥
जन्मप्रभृति भीष्मेण पुत्रवत् परिपालिताः ॥
संस्कारैः संस्कृतास् ते तु व्रताध्ययनसंयुताः ॥
श्रमव्यायामकुशलाः समपद्यन्त यौवनम् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhṛtarāṣṭraś ca pāṇḍuś ca viduraś ca mahāmatiḥ ||
janmaprabhṛti bhīṣmeṇa putravat paripālitāḥ ||
saṃskāraiḥ saṃskṛtās te tu vratādhyayanasaṃyutāḥ ||
śramavyāyāmakuśalāḥ samapadyanta yauvanam ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
धृतराष्ट्रः च पाण्डुः च विदुरः च महामतिःdhṛtarāṣṭraḥ ca pāṇḍuḥ ca viduraḥ ca mahāmatiḥDhritarashtra, Pandu, and the wise Vidura
जन्मप्रभृति भीष्मेण पुत्रवत् परिपालिताःjanmaprabhṛti bhīṣmeṇa putravat paripālitāḥwere cherished by Bhishma from birth, as [his own] sons
संस्कारैः संस्कृताः ते तु व्रताध्ययनसंयुताःsaṃskāraiḥ saṃskṛtāḥ te tu vratādhyayanasaṃyutāḥconsecrated by sacraments (samskaras), endowed with vows and [Vedic] learning
श्रमव्यायामकुशलाः समपद्यन्त यौवनम्śramavyāyāmakuśalāḥ samapadyanta yauvanamskilled in labor and exercise, [they] attained youth
धृतराष्ट्रश्dhṛtarāṣṭraśoriginal form "dhṛtarāṣṭraś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पाण्डुश्pāṇḍuśoriginal form "pāṇḍuś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
विदुरश्viduraśoriginal form "viduraś", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
संस्कृतास्saṃskṛtāsoriginal form "saṃskṛtās", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
'Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and the wise Vidura were cherished by Bhishma from their very birth, as his own sons. Consecrated by sacraments, endowed with vows and Vedic learning, skilled in labor and physical exercise, they came of age.'
Version
8ce55e48d970 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:30:26 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here the narrative returns to the three brothers and their coming of age under Bhishma's care. It is telling that Bhishma, who once took the vow of celibacy and renounced the throne and offspring of his own, raises these three 'as his own sons': his fatherhood is not of the flesh but of the spirit, born of duty and love. Here is a noble image of selfless devotion: one who renounced his own lineage for his father's sake now serves that lineage selflessly, raising his father's grandsons. The list of the foundations of their upbringing is telling -- sacraments (samskara), vows (vrata), Vedic learning (adhyayana), physical exercise -- a harmony of spiritual and bodily development, the ideal of Vedic pedagogy. Thus scripture prepares us for the unfolding of each brother's gifts and shows that nobility is cultivated not by birth alone, but by proper upbringing in dharma.