Shloka 22
कृपोपदेशः — द्रौणेरनिद्रा च
Kṛpa’s Counsel and Drauṇi’s Sleepless Resolve
आतुरस्य कुतो निद्रा नरस्यामर्षितस्य च । अर्थाश्विन्तयतश्चापि कामयानस्य वा पुनः । तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं पश्य मेउद्य चतुष्टयम्
āturasya kuto nidrā narasyāmarṣitasya ca | arthāś cintayataś cāpi kāmayānasya vā punaḥ | tad idaṃ samanuprāptaṃ paśya me 'dya catuṣṭayam ||
«Mon oncle ! Comment le sommeil viendrait-il à un homme accablé de chagrin, ou consumé par le ressentiment, ou absorbé par mille soucis pressants, ou encore asservi au désir ? Vois : aujourd’hui, ces quatre maux se sont abattus sur moi tout ensemble.»
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how inner disturbances—grief, resentment, anxious deliberation over duties, and desire—destroy mental peace and make rest impossible. Ethically, it implies that unchecked passions and agitation cloud judgment, especially in wartime, and that composure is necessary for right action.
In the Sauptika Parva’s tense aftermath of battle, Kṛpa speaks of his sleeplessness. He explains that multiple pressures—sorrow, anger, pressing concerns, and desire—have converged on him simultaneously, reflecting the charged, unstable mood surrounding the night’s events.