Shloka 19
प्रियके अभावमें मनुष्यकी शोभा नहीं होती है। जैसे गंगा समुद्रमें जाकर विलुप्त हो जाती है, उसी प्रकार वह अभावग्रस्त पुरुष भी निश्चय ही लुप्त हो जाता है ।। पुत्र बवाच नेयं मतिस्त्वया वाच्या मात: पुत्रे विशेषतः । कारुण्यमेवात्र पश्य भूत्वेह जडमूकवत्,पुत्रने कहा--माँ! तुझे अपने मुखसे ऐसा विचार नहीं व्यक्त करना चाहिये, अतः तुम जड और मूककी भाँति होकर मुझ अपने पुत्रको विशेषरूपसे करुणापूर्ण दृष्टिसे ही देखो
putra uvāca—neyaṃ matis tvayā vācyā mātaḥ putre viśeṣataḥ | kāruṇyam evātra paśya bhūtvaiha jaḍamūkavat ||
The son said: “Mother, you should not voice such a thought—especially in regard to your own son. Here, look upon me only with compassion; remain, as it were, like one who is inert and silent, and do not speak words that weaken resolve.”
पुत्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes restraint in speech and emotional discipline: a mother should not utter discouraging or destabilizing thoughts about her son; instead, she should hold a compassionate, steady gaze—supporting resolve rather than weakening it through words.
In a mother–son exchange within Udyoga Parva, the son responds to his mother’s expressed thought (likely anxious or disheartening) and asks her not to speak so; he urges her to remain silent and simply regard him with compassion, signaling a moment of counsel and resolve before impending action.