Shloka 14
गान्धारीपुत्रोत्पत्तिः — The Birth of Gāndhārī’s Hundred Sons (and Yuyutsu); Omens and Counsel on Succession
शूलस्थ: स तु धर्मात्मा कालेन महता ततः । निराहारो<पि विप्रर्षिमरणं नाभ्यपद्यत,धर्मात्मा ब्रह्मर्षि माण्डव्य दीर्घकालतक उस शूलके अग्रभागपर बैठे रहे। वहाँ भोजन न मिलनेपर भी उनकी मृत्यु नहीं हुई
śūlasthaḥ sa tu dharmātmā kālena mahatā tataḥ | nirāhāro ’pi viprarṣir maraṇaṃ nābhyapadyata ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Fixed upon the stake, that righteous-souled sage remained there for a very long time. Even without food, the brāhmaṇa-seer did not succumb to death—such was the power of his austerity and the steadfastness of his dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and spiritual force of dharma and tapas: a truly righteous ascetic can endure extreme suffering without being broken, suggesting that inner discipline and ethical steadfastness can transcend bodily limits.
Māṇḍavya, a brahmin-seer described as dharmātmā, has been placed upon a stake. Despite the passage of a long time and the absence of food, he does not die, underscoring his extraordinary ascetic power and setting up the wider episode concerning justice and the consequences of actions.