Shloka 9
Gāndhārī’s Grief, Vyāsa’s Pacification, and the Ethics of Retaliation (गान्धारी-शोकः शमोपदेशश्च)
“भरतनन्दन! आप अपनी ओर तो देखिये। आपका बर्ताव सदा ही न्यायके विपरीत रहा है। राजन! आप अपने मनको वशमें न करके सदा दुर्योधनके अधीन रहे हैं ।। आत्मापराधादापतन्नस्तत् कि भीम॑ जिघांससि । तस्मात् संयच्छ कोपं त्वं स्वमनुस्मर दुष्कृतम्,“अपने ही अपराधसे विपत्तिमें पड़कर आप भीमसेनको क्यों मार डालना चाहते हैं? इसलिये क्रोधको रोकिये और अपने दुष्कर्मोंको याद कीजिये
ātmāparādhād āpatannas tat kiṃ bhīmaṃ jighāṃsasi | tasmāt saṃyaccha kopaṃ tvaṃ svam anusmara duṣkṛtam ||
Having fallen into calamity through your own wrongdoing, why do you now wish to kill Bhīmasena? Therefore restrain your anger, and recall your own evil deeds.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses moral accountability: misfortune arises from one’s own wrongdoing, so blaming others and seeking violent retaliation is unjust. The proper response is to restrain anger and reflect on one’s own misdeeds.
Vaiśampāyana reports an admonition directed at a royal figure consumed by rage and seeking to harm Bhīma. The speaker argues that the present calamity is self-caused and urges the person to curb anger and remember their own wrongful actions.