Shloka 64
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च
Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration
माद्रीं खल्वलंकृतां दृष्टवा पाण्डुर्भावं चक्रे च तां स्पृष्टवैव विदेहत्वं प्राप्त:,एक दिन माद्रीको शृंगार किये देख पाण्डु उसके प्रति आसक्त हो गये और उसका स्पर्श होते ही उनका शरीर छूट गया। तदनन्तर वहाँ चिताकी आगमें स्थित पतिके शवके साथ माद्री चितापर आरूढ़ हो गयी और कुन्तीसे बोली--“बहिन! मेरे जुड़वें बच्चोंके भी लालन- पालनमें तुम सदा सावधान रहना”
mādrīṃ khalv alaṅkṛtāṃ dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍur bhāvaṃ cakre ca tāṃ spṛṣṭvaiva videhatvaṃ prāptaḥ | tadanantaraṃ tatra citāyāṃ agnau sthite patyuḥ śavena sārdhaṃ mādrī citām āruhya kuntīṃ uvāca—“bhagini! mama yugma-putrayor api lālana-pālane tvaṃ sadā sāvadhānā bhava” |
Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing Mādrī adorned, Pāṇḍu became overcome with desire; and the very moment he touched her, he met death, his body falling lifeless. Thereafter, as her husband’s corpse lay upon the blazing funeral pyre, Mādrī mounted the pyre with him and spoke to Kuntī: “Sister, be ever vigilant in the nurturing and upbringing of my twin sons as well.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Unrestrained desire can bring immediate ruin, while dharma in family life continues through responsibility: even in tragedy, Mādrī’s final concern is the welfare of her children, entrusting their care to Kuntī.
Pāṇḍu, seeing Mādrī adorned, is overcome by passion; upon touching her he dies (fulfilling the consequence of his earlier curse). Mādrī then ascends the funeral pyre with his body and asks Kuntī to carefully raise her twin sons.