Shloka 2
Adhyāya 33 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Post-Conflict Remorse and Inquiry on Āśrama Discipline (शोक-विमर्शः, आश्रम-जिज्ञासा)
क्षत्रियाश्व॒ महात्मान: सम्बन्धिसुहृदस्तथा । वयस्या भागिनेयाश्ष ज्ञातयक्षु पितामह
kṣatriyāś ca mahātmānaḥ sambandhi-suhṛdas tathā | vayasyā bhāgineyāś ca jñātayaś ca pitāmaha ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Grandfather! Great-souled kṣatriyas—my relatives and well-wishers, my companions, my sisters’ sons, and my own kinsmen—have been brought to destruction. Driven by greed for sovereignty, I have become the cause of the slaughter of countless warrior-kings who had come from many lands.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of political ambition: even a ‘just’ victory can carry grave moral residue when it entails the destruction of kin and allies. It sets up the Shānti Parva’s inquiry into dharma, atonement, and the responsibilities of kingship after catastrophic violence.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma as ‘Grandfather’ and laments that, due to his desire for the kingdom, many noble kṣatriyas—relatives, friends, and nephews—have perished. This confession frames his inner turmoil and his seeking of guidance from Bhīṣma on righteous conduct and peace.