Shloka 22
एकाग्रं चिन्तयिष्यामि पीत्वा वेत्स्यामि वा जलम् | स्यात् तु दुर्योधनेनेदमुपांशुविहितं कृतम्
ekāgraṃ cintayiṣyāmi pītvā vetsyāmi vā jalam | syāt tu duryodhanenedam upāṃśu-vihitaṃ kṛtam, dharmaputro mahābāhur vilalāpa suvistaram ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : «Je réfléchirai l’esprit fixé en un seul point ; ou bien, après avoir bu de l’eau, je tenterai de comprendre ce mystère. Il se peut que Duryodhana l’ait secrètement manigancé.» Voyant ses frères tombés, inertes et sans vie, le puissant Dharmaputra Yudhiṣṭhira s’abîma dans une pensée anxieuse et se lamenta longuement : sa douleur révèle à la fois sa prudence morale et son refus de juger sans clarté.
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In crisis, Yudhiṣṭhira models ethical restraint: he seeks clarity through focused reflection rather than acting on raw emotion. The verse highlights discernment (viveka) and the dharmic impulse to understand causes before assigning blame or taking action.
After encountering a shocking scene (his brothers fallen), Yudhiṣṭhira laments and tries to make sense of it. He considers that the calamity might be due to a hidden plot by Duryodhana, and resolves to think carefully—or regain composure (even by drinking water) to understand the situation.