अशोच्याः कुरवो राजन् येषां त्वम् अनुशासिता ॥
मन्त्री च विदुरो धीमान् सर्वशास्त्रविशारदः ॥
त्वयि धर्मो ऽर्जुने वीर्यं भीमसेने पराक्रमः ॥
श्रद्धा च गुरुशुश्रूषा यमयोः पुरुषाग्र्ययोः ॥
अजातशत्रो भद्रं ते खाण्डवप्रस्थम् आविश ॥
भ्रातृभिस् ते ऽस्तु सौभ्रात्रं धर्मे ते धीयतां मनः ॥
aśocyāḥ kuravo rājan yeṣāṃ tvam anuśāsitā ||
mantrī ca viduro dhīmān sarvaśāstraviśāradaḥ ||
tvayi dharmo 'rjune vīryaṃ bhīmasene parākramaḥ ||
śraddhā ca guruśuśrūṣā yamayoḥ puruṣāgryayoḥ ||
ajātaśatro bhadraṃ te khāṇḍavaprastham āviśa ||
bhrātṛbhis te 'stu saubhrātraṃ dharme te dhīyatāṃ manaḥ ||
[Dhritarashtra:] 'Not to be pitied are those Kurus, O king, whose guide you are, and whose counselor is the wise Vidura, versed in all the shastras. In you is dharma, in Arjuna is might, in Bhimasena is valor, and faith and service to elders are in both twins, foremost among men. O Ajatashatru, blessings upon you, enter Khandavaprastha; may there be brotherly love between you and your brothers; and may your mind be fixed upon dharma.'
c3d5bb1abc03 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:12:36 PM UTC
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The old man extols the virtues of the Pandavas -- dharma, might, valor, faith -- and by this very act exposes the madness of those who assailed such men. The list of the brothers' virtues is an unwitting prophecy: a house in which such varied excellences are gathered is invincible so long as it keeps its unity -- hence his charge of 'brotherly love.' It is notable that he crowns his farewell counsel with a word about dharma: 'may your mind be fixed upon dharma' -- for it alone is the support when truth all around is wavering. The verse teaches that the true strength of a house lies in the harmony of differing gifts serving one purpose; that praise of virtue exposes the evil that assailed it; and that every good counsel ends by returning to dharma as the final foundation.