Shloka 49
द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake
स दीर्घमिव नि:श्वस्य प्रत्यवेक्ष्य पुन: पुनः । असीौ मां पाणिना स्पृष्टवा पुत्रस्ते पर्यभाषत
sa dīrgham iva niḥśvasya pratyavekṣya punaḥ punaḥ | asau māṃ pāṇinā spṛṣṭvā putras te paryabhāṣata ||
Sanjaya said: Heaving a long sigh, and looking back at me again and again, your son touched me with his hand and then spoke: “Sañjaya! In this war, besides you, perhaps no one dear to me is still alive, for I see no other kinsman here. But the Pāṇḍavas are well supplied with allies and support.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and emotional cost of war: when violence consumes one’s own people, even the powerful are reduced to seeking a single surviving human connection and a trustworthy witness. It implicitly contrasts isolation born of adharma-driven choices with the strength that comes from solidarity and righteous support.
Sanjaya reports a moment where Dhritarashtra’s son, overwhelmed, sighs deeply, repeatedly looks at Sanjaya, touches him, and begins to speak—signaling distress and a need for reassurance. The surrounding sense is that he feels bereft of surviving kinsmen, while the Pandavas appear well-supported by their allies.