Shloka 283
कृपोपदेशः — द्रौणेरनिद्रा च
Kṛpa’s Counsel and Drauṇi’s Sleepless Resolve
नृपतेर्भग्नसक्थस्य श्रुत्वा तादृगू वच: पुनः । “टूटी जाँघवाले राजा दुर्योधनकी वैसी बात पुनः सुनकर किस निष्ठुरके भी नेत्रोंसे आँसू नहीं बह चलेगा?
nṛpater bhagnasakthasya śrutvā tādṛg vacaḥ punaḥ |
ভগ্ন উরুবিশিষ্ট রাজা দুর্যোধনের তেমন বাক্য পুনরায় শুনে, কোন নিষ্ঠুরেরও চোখ থেকে অশ্রু না ঝরবে?
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a battlefield narrative driven by vengeance, the Mahābhārata foregrounds compassion: suffering—especially the fallen enemy’s—can pierce hardness of heart and becomes an ethical mirror for the listener.
In the Sauptika Parva, after the catastrophic end of the war, Kṛpa recalls and reacts to Duryodhana’s words spoken while grievously wounded (his thighs smashed). Kṛpa emphasizes the emotional force of the fallen king’s speech, suggesting it would move anyone to tears.