Shloka 54

धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)

Devanagari script

मुहुर्मुहुर्मुह्मान: पुत्राधिभिरभिप्लुत: । विलप्य सुचिरं काल धृतराष्ट्रोडम्बिकासुत:

Transliteration

muhurmuhurmuhyamānaḥ putrādhibhir abhiplutaḥ | vilapya suciraṃ kālaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro ’mbikāsutaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Immer wieder fiel Dhṛtarāṣṭra—Ambikās Sohn—in Verwirrung, überwältigt von der Trauer um seine Söhne. Lange klagte er, und sein Geist sank wieder und wieder unter der Last von Anhaftung und Verlust nach dem Krieg.

Word by Word

मुहुःagain and again

मूढमानःbeing bewildered / deluded

पुत्राधिभिःby/with the afflictions (caused) by (his) sons

अभिप्लुतःoverwhelmed / flooded

विलप्यhaving lamented

सुचिरम्for a very long time

कालम्time (duration)

धृतराष्ट्रःDhritarashtra

अम्बिकासुतःson of Ambika

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Ambikā

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how attachment (especially to one’s children and lineage) can repeatedly cloud judgment and drown a person in grief. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, unchecked moha (delusion born of attachment) leads to prolonged suffering and prevents clear discernment of dharma, especially after the consequences of adharma have unfolded.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the catastrophic losses of the Kurukṣetra war, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is shown repeatedly losing composure, overwhelmed by sorrow for his sons. He continues lamenting for a long time, and the narrator (Vaiśampāyana) emphasizes the cyclical nature of his grief and confusion.