Shloka 6
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Bereavement and the Averted Assault on Bhīma (Āyasī Pratimā Episode)
अभीता युद्धयमानास्ते घ्नन्त: शत्रुगणान् बहून् । वीरकर्माणि कुर्वाणा: पुत्रास्ते निधनं गता:,“देवि! आपके सभी पुत्र निर्भय होकर जूझते और बहुसंख्यक शत्रुओंका संहार करते हुए वीरोचित कर्म करके वीरगतिको प्राप्त हुए हैं
abhītā yuddhayamānās te ghnantaḥ śatrugaṇān bahūn | vīrakarmāṇi kurvāṇāḥ putrās te nidhanaṃ gatāḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Your sons fought without fear; while battling they slew many bands of enemies. Performing deeds worthy of heroes, they have gone to their death—attaining the end that comes to warriors on the field.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames battlefield death as the culmination of kṣatriya-duty: fearlessness, protection through valor, and acceptance of the warrior’s end. It also prepares the ethical tension of the Strī Parva—heroic ideals set against the human reality of bereavement.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that the queen’s sons fought bravely, killed many enemies, and ultimately fell in battle. The statement functions as a stark confirmation of loss while emphasizing the manner of their death—heroic and duty-bound.