Shloka 4
Jājali–Tulādhāra-saṃvāda: Yajña, Vṛtti, and Ātma-tīrtha (जाजलि-तुलाधार-संवादः)
अथ चेमे महाप्राज्ञा: शेरते हि गतासव: । मृता इति च शब्दो<यं वर्तत्येषु गतासुषु,किंतु इस समय ये महाबुद्धिमान् भूपाल निष्प्राण होकर पड़े हैं। इनके प्राण निकल जानेपर इनके लिये मृत शब्दका व्यवहार होता है; अर्थात् “ये मर गये” ऐसा कहा जाता है
atha ceme mahāprājñāḥ śerate hi gatāsavaḥ | mṛtā iti ca śabdo ’yaṃ vartaty eṣu gatāsuṣu ||
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Und nun liegen diese hochweisen Könige hier, des Lebensatems beraubt. Wenn der Lebenshauch gewichen ist, nennt man solche Wesen ‚tot‘ — die Menschen sagen: ‚Sie sind gestorben.‘“
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how death is recognized and spoken of: once the life-breath departs, society applies the designation “dead.” It points toward reflection on impermanence and the ethical gravity of seeing fallen rulers as lifeless bodies rather than living agents.
In the aftermath of the great conflict, Yudhiṣṭhira observes the fallen kings lying motionless. He remarks on the common human usage of the term “dead” for those whose vital breath has departed, setting a contemplative tone for further inquiry into life, death, and dharma.