Shloka 8
Adhyāya 62: Marutta’s Treasure and the Pāṇḍavas’ Auspicious Departure (मरुत्तस्य धनप्राप्त्युपक्रमः)
सुबहूनि च राजेन्द्र दिवसानि विराटजा
vaiśampāyana uvāca | subahūni ca rājendra divasāni virāṭajā, rājendra! virāṭakumārī uttarā nāma patike duḥkhena āturā bahūni divasāni bhojanaṃ naiva cakāra | tasyāḥ sā daśā karuṇābhūt | tasyā garbhasthaḥ bālaka udare patitaḥ patitaḥ kṣīṇatāṃ jagāma |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O king, for many days the daughter of Virāṭa—Princess Uttarā—stricken with grief for her husband, did not take food. Her condition became deeply pitiable, and the child in her womb, lying within her belly, began to waste away.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical and human cost of loss: grief can endanger both the mourner and the innocent dependent (the unborn child). It implicitly urges compassion and timely support for those overwhelmed by sorrow, aligning with dharma as care for life and family continuity.
Vaiśampāyana describes Princess Uttarā’s prolonged fasting due to grief for her husband. Her condition becomes pitiable, and the fetus in her womb begins to weaken, setting the stage for concern about the survival of the child and the continuation of the family line.