Shloka 18
स्त्री-विलापः — गान्धार्याः रणभूमिदर्शनं शापवचनं च
Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse
माधव! देखो, युद्धस्थलमें ट्रोणाचार्यने जिन्हें मार गिराया था, वे राजा द्रुपद सो रहे हैं, मानो किसी वनमें विशाल सिंहके द्वारा कोई महान् गजराज मारा गया हो ।। पाज्चालराज्ञो विमलं पुण्डरीकाक्ष पाण्डुरम् । आततपपनत्र॑ समाभाति शरदीव निशाकर:,कमलनयन! पांचालराजका वह निर्मल श्वेत छत्र शरत्कालके चन्द्रमाकी भाँति सुशोभित हो रहा है
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
mādhava paśya yuddhasthale droṇācāryeṇa ye nipātitāḥ sa rājā drupadaḥ supta iva dṛśyate, yathā vane mahāsiṃhena mahān gajarājaḥ hataḥ ||
pāñcālarājño vimalaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣa pāṇḍuraṃ |
ātapatraṃ samābhāti śaradīva niśākaraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Mādhava, look—on the battlefield lies King Drupada, struck down by Droṇa. He appears as though asleep, like a mighty lord of elephants felled by a great lion in the forest. And, O lotus-eyed one, the spotless white royal parasol of the king of Pāñcāla shines above him like the moon in the autumn season.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of worldly power: even a great king, marked by royal insignia like the white parasol, lies motionless on the battlefield. The poetic comparison (lion and elephant; autumn moon) heightens the ethical reflection on war’s cost and the impermanence of status.
Vaiśampāyana points out Drupada’s body on the battlefield, noting he was slain by Droṇa. He describes Drupada as appearing asleep and draws attention to Drupada’s spotless white parasol shining above him like the autumn moon.