Shloka 30
Chapter 26: Śoka-pratiṣedha, Hata-saṅkhyā, Gati-vibhāga, Pretakārya-ājñā
Restraint of Grief, Count of the Slain, Destinies, and Funerary Directives
चिता: कृत्वा प्रयत्नेन यथामुख्यान् नराधिपान् । दाहयामासुरव्यग्रा: शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा
citāḥ kṛtvā prayatnena yathāmukhyān narādhipān | dāhayāmāsur avyagrāḥ śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Having carefully prepared the funeral pyres, they cremated the foremost kings in due order, unhurried and composed, performing the rites exactly as prescribed by the sacred ordinances. The scene underscores a return to dharma after the chaos of war—honouring even fallen rulers through proper, disciplined funerary duty.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid overwhelming grief after war, dharma is upheld through disciplined performance of prescribed rites. The verse highlights ethical steadiness: honouring the dead—especially leaders—by following śāstric procedure rather than acting in haste or disorder.
In the aftermath of the great slaughter, funeral pyres are prepared with care, and the foremost kings are cremated in proper order. The mourners/attendants carry out the cremations calmly, adhering to ritual rules laid down in the śāstras.