Shloka 42
संदिह्ामानो व्यथित: कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् । अहतं वा हतं वेति पप्रच्छ सुतमात्मन:,वे संदेहमें पड़े हुए थे, अतः उन्होंने व्यथित होकर अपने पुत्रके मारे जाने या नहीं मारे जानेका समाचार कुन्तीपुत्र युधिष्ठिससे पूछा
saṁdihyamāno vyathitaḥ kuntīputraṁ yudhiṣṭhiram | ahataṁ vā hataṁ veti papraccha sutam ātmanaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Dilanda keraguan dan diguncang kecemasan, ia bertanya kepada Yudhiṣṭhira putra Kuntī: ‘Anakku—apakah ia selamat, atau telah gugur?’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war corrodes certainty and peace of mind: doubt (saṁdeha) and distress (vyathā) arise even for those seeking information, and ethical tension centers on truth—especially when the question is posed to Yudhiṣṭhira, famed for adherence to dharma and truthful speech.
A person, overwhelmed by uncertainty and anxiety, approaches Yudhiṣṭhira and asks directly whether his own son is alive (unharmed) or has been killed. The moment reflects the battlefield’s confusion and the urgent need for reliable testimony.