Shloka 15

Chapter 10: Survivors Console the Royal Couple and Disperse (धृतराष्ट्र–गान्धारी प्रति निवेदनम्)

Devanagari script

परस्पर सुसूक्ष्मेषु शोकेष्वाश्वासयंस्तदा । ता: शोकविद्धदला राजन्नवैक्षन्त परस्परम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | paraspara susūkṣmeṣu śokeṣv āśvāsayaṃs tadā | tāḥ śokaviddhadalā rājann avaikṣanta parasparam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then, as they tried to console one another amid grief so subtle and inward, those women—whose hearts were pierced by sorrow—could not even look at each other, O King.

Word by Word

परस्परम्mutually, to/with each other

सुसूक्ष्मेषुin very subtle (ones)

शोकेषुin sorrows, in griefs

आश्वासयन्comforting, consoling

तदाthen

ताःthem (those women)

शोकविद्धदलाwhose petals/leaves are pierced by grief (grief-stricken)

राजन्O king

अवैक्षन्तthey looked at, beheld

परस्परम्at one another

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janamejaya

the women (bereaved royal women)

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 limits of consolation in extreme bereavement: ethical sympathy remains, but trauma can make even mutual support feel impossible. It underscores the human cost of adharma-driven conflict and the need to recognize suffering beyond victory or defeat.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Stree Parva’s mourning scenes after the war, the bereaved women attempt to comfort one another. Yet their sorrow is so piercing and inward that they cannot even meet each other’s eyes, conveying collective shock and overwhelming grief.