Shloka 1
Kṛṣṇa-vīrya-kathana
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s appraisal of Vāsudeva’s deeds
दशमो< ध्याय: राजा धृतराष्ट्रका शोकसे व्याकुल होना और संजयसे युद्धविषयक प्रश्न वैशम्पायन उवाच एतत् पृष्टवा सूतपुत्र हृच्छोकेनार्दितो भृशम् | जये निराश: पुत्राणां धृतराष्ट्रोडपतत् क्षितौ,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! सूतपुत्र संजयसे इस प्रकार प्रश्न करते-करते हार्दिक शोकसे अत्यन्त पीड़ित हो अपने पुत्रोंकी विजयकी आशा टूट जानेके कारण राजा धृतराष्ट्र अचेत-से होकर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़े
vaiśampāyana uvāca | etat pṛṣṭvā sūtaputra hṛcchokenārdito bhṛśam | jaye nirāśaḥ putrāṇāṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro ’patat kṣitau ||
Vaiśampāyana said: O Janamejaya, as King Dhṛtarāṣṭra thus questioned Sañjaya, the son of a sūta, he was sorely stricken by grief within his heart; and, having lost hope of his sons’ victory, the king fell upon the earth as though bereft of consciousness.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of excessive attachment to one’s own faction and obsession with victory: when hope is tied solely to triumph, the mind becomes vulnerable to collapse under grief. It implicitly points toward steadiness and discernment (dharma-guided judgment) even amid catastrophic news.
After repeatedly questioning Sañjaya about the battle, Dhṛtarāṣṭra becomes overwhelmed by inner sorrow. Realizing (or fearing) that his sons will not win, he loses hope and falls to the ground, signaling a turning point of despair in the war’s unfolding.