Remember to do your own understanding of this sentence before you read ours. Express your own questions, insights and ‘so whats’ before you read ours, and discuss your lights to our questions before you read our lights.
“Both the Pāṇḍavas and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra belong to the same family, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mind is disclosed herein. He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus, and he separated the sons of Pāṇḍu from the family heritage.”
Let’s analyse these sentences:
- “Both the Pāṇḍavas and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra belong to the same family…”
We understand: Pandu’s sons and Dhritrarastra’s sons are both members of Kuru’s dynasty. - “…but Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s mind is disclosed herein.”
We understand: Dhritarastra’s choice of language reveals his true feelings about Pandu’s sons. - “He deliberately claimed only his sons as Kurus, and he separated the sons of Pāṇḍu from the family heritage.”
We understand: By referring only to his son’s as māmakāḥ, his party, or in other words, the party of the sitting Kuru king, and his nephews as Pandavas (Pandu’s sons), he is implying they are from another family, not part of the Kuru dynasty.
Question: Have we properly understood Srila Prabhupada meaning?
Our Light: According to Baladeva Vidyabhusana, not only didn’t he see the Pandavas as his beloved nephews, but as his hated enemies.
“By not mentioning that the Pandavas were also his relatives and mentioning only his sons as his own (mamaka), he revealed his hatred for the Pandavas.” Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s commentary to 1.1.
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