Shloka 2
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
तत्र ते सुमहात्मानो न््यवसन् पाण्डुनन्दना: । शौचं निवर्तयिष्यन्तो मासमात्र बहिः पुरात्,तदनन्तर वे महामनस्वी पाण्डव आत्मशुद्धिका सम्पादन करनेके लिये एक मासतक वहीं (गंगातटपर) नगरसे बाहर टिके रहे
tatra te sumahātmāno nyavasan pāṇḍunandanāḥ | śaucaṃ nivartayiṣyanto māsamātraṃ bahiḥ purāt |
There, those great-souled sons of Pāṇḍu took up their stay outside the city for a full month, intent on completing the rites of purification. In the aftermath of the great conflict, they deliberately embraced restraint and ritual cleanliness, seeking inner and outer cleansing before resuming public life and governance.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even rightful victory can leave moral and ritual residue; leaders should practice restraint and purification, acknowledging the gravity of violence and preparing themselves ethically before returning to civic duties.
Vaiśampāyana reports that the Pāṇḍavas stayed outside the city for one month to complete purification observances, marking a transition from the battlefield’s aftermath to the reflective, dharma-centered discourse of the Śānti Parva.