Shloka 6
Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity
Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27
ततः कुन्ती महाराज सहसा शोककर्शिता
tataḥ kuntī mahārāja sahasā śokakarśitā
Then Kuntī, O great king, suddenly—overwhelmed and worn down by grief—was seized by sorrow in the aftermath of the calamity, as the narrative turns to the human cost of the war and the moral weight borne by the elders.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical and emotional aftermath of violence: even when actions are framed within kṣatriya-duty and political necessity, the survivors—especially elders and mothers—bear profound grief, reminding the listener that dharma is not merely victory but also accountability to suffering.
Vaiśampāyana continues narrating to King Janamejaya and describes Kuntī becoming suddenly overwhelmed by sorrow, setting the tone for the Strīparvan’s focus on mourning and the devastation left by the war.