Shloka 21
धृतराष्ट्रस्य बलाबलचिन्ता
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Strength and Preference for Śama
इत्येवं चिन्तयत् कृत्स्नमहोरात्राणि भारत । अनिद्रो नि:ःसुखश्नास्मि कुरूणां शमचिन्तया
ity evaṁ cintayat kṛtsnam ahorātrāṇi bhārata | anidro niḥsukhaś cāsmi kurūṇāṁ śamacin tayā ||
Waiśaṃpāyana berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, dengan terus memikirkan hal ini siang dan malam, aku tak juga dapat tidur. Segala kebahagiaanku lenyap oleh kecemasan tentang bagaimana damai dapat ditegakkan di antara para Kuru.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical burden of seeking reconciliation: genuine concern for peace (śama) can become an all-consuming responsibility, showing that preventing adharma and civil strife is a serious moral duty, not a casual preference.
The speaker reports a state of relentless reflection—day and night—leading to sleeplessness and loss of happiness, caused by worry about how to establish peace among the Kurus as tensions move toward open conflict.