Shloka 55
Omens and Consolation after Loss; Reaffirmation of the Saindhava Punishment Vow (उत्पात-दर्शनम्, आश्वासन-वाक्यानि, प्रतिज्ञा-स्थैर्यम्)
एतदर्थपदं श्रुत्वा तदा राजा युधिष्छिर । क्षत्रधर्म च विज्ञाय शूराणां च परां गतिम्,सम्प्राप्तोडसौ महावीर्य: स्वर्गलोकं॑ महारथ: । युधिष्ठि! उस समय महारथी महापराक्रमी राजा अकम्पन इस उत्तम अर्थको प्रकाशित करनेवाले वृत्तान्तको सुनकर तथा क्षत्रियधर्म एवं शूरवीरोंकी परम गतिके विषयमें जानकर यथासमय स्वर्गलोकको प्राप्त हुए
etad-artha-padaṁ śrutvā tadā rājā yudhiṣṭhira | kṣatra-dharmaṁ ca vijñāya śūrāṇāṁ ca parāṁ gatim | samprāpto 'sau mahā-vīryaḥ svarga-lokaṁ mahā-rathaḥ |
Hearing this meaningful account, O King Yudhiṣṭhira, and understanding both the duty of the warrior order and the highest destiny of the heroic, that great chariot-warrior of mighty valor attained the world of heaven at the appointed time. The passage frames his end not as mere death in battle, but as a dharmic culmination—where knowledge of kṣatriya-duty and the ideal of heroic passage grants a sanctioned, elevated departure.
दैपायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links a warrior’s end to dharma: understanding kṣatriya-duty and the ‘highest destiny of heroes’ frames death in battle as a morally ordered passage, culminating in svarga when aligned with rightful conduct and timing.
Vyāsa addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, stating that after hearing a meaningful account and grasping the principles of warrior-duty and heroic destiny, the great chariot-warrior (the subject of the preceding account) reached heaven in due course.