Shloka 13
Chapter 10: Survivors Console the Royal Couple and Disperse (धृतराष्ट्र–गान्धारी प्रति निवेदनम्)
विलपन्त्यो रुदत्यक्ष धावमानास्ततस्तत:ः । शोकेनोपहतत्ञाना: कर्तव्यं न प्रजज्ञिरे,शोकसे उनकी ज्ञानशक्ति लुप्त-सी हो गयी थी। वे रोती और विलाप करती हुई इधर- उधर दौड़ रही थीं। उन्हें कोई कर्तव्य नहीं सूझ रहा था
vilapantyo rudaty akṣa dhāvamānās tatas tataḥ | śokenopahatajñānāḥ kartavyaṃ na prajajñire ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Die Frauen, klagend und weinend, liefen hierhin und dorthin. Vom Kummer überwältigt, war ihr Urteilsvermögen zerschmettert, und sie erkannten nicht mehr, was zu tun sei — Pflicht und rechtes Handeln waren im Schock des Verlustes aus ihrem Sinn verschwunden.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Intense grief can eclipse buddhi (discernment) so that even kartavya—one’s sense of duty and right action—becomes unclear. The verse highlights the ethical danger of acting (or failing to act) when the mind is overwhelmed by śoka, implying the need for steadiness and guidance in times of collective trauma.
In the aftermath of the great slaughter, the women are shown in uncontrolled mourning—crying, wailing, and running in different directions. Their minds are so struck by sorrow that they cannot decide what to do next, portraying the human cost of war beyond the battlefield.