Shloka 14

Gāndhārī’s Lament and the Identification of Duḥśāsana (स्त्रीपर्व, अध्याय १८)

Devanagari script

हंसगद्गदभाषिण्यो दुःखशोकप्रमोहिता: । सारस्य इव वाशन्त्य: पतिता: पश्य माधव,माधव! देखो, इन महिलाओंकी नयी अवस्था है। इनके वक्ष:स्थल और मुख दर्शनीय हैं। इनकी आँखोंकी बरौनियाँ और सिरके केश काले हैं। ये सब-की-सब कुलीन और सलज्ज हैं। ये हंसके समान गद्गद स्वरमें बोलती हैं; परंतु आज दुःख और शोकसे मोहित हो चहचहाती सारसियोंके समान रोती-बिलखती हुई पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ी हैं

Transliteration

haṃsa-gadgada-bhāṣiṇyo duḥkha-śoka-pramohitāḥ | sārasya iva vāśantyaḥ patitāḥ paśya mādhava ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Mādhava, behold: these noble, modest women—whose voices once trembled sweetly like swans—are now bewildered by grief and sorrow. Crying out like calling cranes, they have fallen to the earth.”

Word by Word

हंसof a swan

गद्गदin a choked/trembling (voice)

भाषिण्यःspeaking women; female speakers

दुःखby sorrow/pain

शोकby grief

प्रमोहिताःbewildered, deluded

सारस्याःof a female crane

इवlike, as if

वाशन्त्यःcrying, wailing

पतिताःfallen down

पश्यsee! behold!

माधवO Mādhava (Krishna)

माधवO Mādhava!

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa)

women (bereaved noblewomen)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical cost of war: even the most refined and dignified lives are shattered by violence, and compassion is demanded when witnessing the collapse of social and personal order into grief.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Strī Parva’s mourning scenes after the great battle, Vaiśampāyana directs Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) to observe the bereaved women, who—overcome by sorrow—wail like cranes and fall to the ground.