Shloka 12
स्त्री-विलापः — गान्धार्याः रणभूमिदर्शनं शापवचनं च
Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse
आसां सर्वानिवद्यानामातपेन परिश्रमात् | प्रम्लाननलिनाभानि भान्ति वक्त्राणि माधव,माधव! इन सर्वांगसुन्दरी राजमहिलाओंके सुन्दर मुख धूप और परिश्रमके कारण मुरझाये हुए कमलोंके समान प्रतीत होते हैं
āsāṃ sarvānivadyānām ātapena pariśramāt | pramlāna-nalinābhāni bhānti vaktrāṇi mādhava ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Mādhava, the faces of these royal ladies—faultless in every way—now appear like lotuses that have drooped and withered, worn down by the scorching sun and by exhaustion.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights compassion and moral sensitivity in the aftermath of war: even those who are ‘blameless’ suffer visibly. It underscores the ethical cost of violence—grief and exhaustion borne by innocents—inviting reflection on dharma and responsibility.
In Strī Parva, after the great war, the royal women move amid harsh conditions and overwhelming sorrow. Vaiśampāyana describes to Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) how their faces look like drooping lotuses, drained by sun and fatigue, emphasizing the scene’s pathos.