Shloka 25
कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च
The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion
स तु शीतहतैगत्रिन जगाम न तस्थिवान् । ददर्श पतितां भूमौ कपोतीं शीतविह्नललाम्
sa tu śītahatair gātrair jagāma na tasthivān | dadarśa patitāṃ bhūmau kapotīṃ śītavihvalām ||
वह शीत से जकड़े अंगों के कारण न चल सका, न खड़ा रह सका। उसी दशा में उसने भूमि पर गिरी हुई, शीत से व्याकुल एक कपोती को देखा।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse prepares an ethical moment: when one encounters a vulnerable being suffering (here, a pigeon overcome by cold), dharma leans toward compassion and protective care, even when one’s own condition is difficult.
A person, incapacitated by severe cold and unable to walk or stand, notices a female pigeon lying on the ground, trembling and distressed from the cold—introducing a situation that will test response and duty.