Shloka 283
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
अनार्यत्वं नृशंसत्वं कृतघ्नत्वं च मे भवेत् हमने यह भी सुना है कि उन्होंने पीछे माता कुन्तीको यह जवाब दिया कि “मैं युद्धके समय राजा दुर्योधनका साथ नहीं छोड़ सकता; क्योंकि ऐसा करनेसे मेरी नीचता, क्रूरता और कृतषघ्नता सिद्ध होगी
anāryatvaṁ nṛśaṁsatvaṁ kṛtaghnatvaṁ ca me bhavet
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Dalam diriku akan timbul perilaku yang tak layak bagi seorang mulia, kekejaman, dan noda ketidakberterimaan budi.” Kami pun mendengar bahwa kemudian ia menjawab ibu Kuntī: “Di saat perang aku tak dapat meninggalkan Raja Duryodhana; sebab jika kulakukan, akan terbukti kehinaanku, kekerasanku, dan ketidakberterimaan budiku.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames moral self-assessment: abandoning a committed obligation—especially in a crisis like war—can be judged as ignoble (anārya), cruel (nṛśaṁsa), and ungrateful (kṛtaghna). It highlights gratitude and fidelity to one’s pledged relationships as key components of dharma.
Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a refusal to act in a way that would brand him ethically compromised. He expresses fear that a particular choice (deserting an ally or failing a duty at a critical moment) would make him appear ignoble, ruthless, and ungrateful.