Shloka 33

Devanagari script

रुरुदु: सुस्वनं सर्वा विनिन्दन्त्य: कुरून्‌ भृशम्‌ । दध्युश्व सुचिरं काल॑ करासक्तमुखाम्बुजा:

Transliteration

ruruduḥ susvanaṃ sarvā vinindantyaḥ kurūn bhṛśam | dadhyuś ca suciraṃ kālaṃ karāsaktamukhāmbujāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: All the women wept aloud, bitterly censuring the Kurus. For a long while they remained sunk in grief, their lotus-like faces resting upon their hands—overwhelmed by sorrow and helplessness.

Word by Word

रुरुदुःthey wept

सुस्वनम्loud sound/cry

सर्वाःall (women)

विनिन्दन्त्यःcensuring/condemning

कुरून्the Kurus

भृशम्exceedingly, greatly

दध्युःthey thought/pondered

चand

सुचिरम्for a long time

कालम्time

करासक्तमुखाम्बुजाःwhose lotus-faces were held/pressed by the hands (hands clapped to the face in grief)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kurus

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical fallout of adharma in royal conduct: when rulers and elders permit injustice, the vulnerable—especially women—bear intense suffering, and public blame naturally falls upon those responsible for protecting dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the aftermath of the humiliating events in the Kuru court, the women are shown crying loudly and condemning the Kurus; they remain for a long time in stunned grief, leaning their faces on their hands in helpless sorrow.