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Shloka 17

वसुदेव–अर्जुन संवादः

Vasudeva–Arjuna Dialogue in the Aftermath of Dvārakā

प्रकीर्णमूर्थजा: सर्वा विमुक्ताभरणस्रज: । उरांसि पाणिभिष्ध्नन्त्यो व्यलपन्‌ करुणं स्त्रिय:,उन सबके बाल खुले हुए थे। उन्होंने आभूषण और मालाएँ तोड़कर फेंक दी थीं और वे सारी स्त्रियाँ अपने हाथोंसे छाती पीटती हुई करुणाजनक विलाप कर रही थीं

prakīrṇamūrdhajāḥ sarvā vimuktābharaṇasrajaḥ | urāṃsi pāṇibhir ghnantyo vyalapan karuṇaṃ striyaḥ ||

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。女たちは皆、髪を乱し、飾りと花鬘を投げ捨てていた。両手で胸を打ちながら、哀れを誘うほどに泣き叫んだ――それは、災厄ののちに押し寄せた圧倒的な悲嘆と、家の秩序の崩壊を外に示すしるしであった。

प्रकीर्ण-मूर्धजाḥhaving dishevelled hair
प्रकीर्ण-मूर्धजाḥ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रकीर्णमूर्धज (प्रकीर्ण + मूर्धज)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
सर्वाःall
सर्वाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
विमुक्त-आभरण-स्रजःwith ornaments and garlands cast off
विमुक्त-आभरण-स्रजः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविमुक्ताभरणस्रज (विमुक्त + आभरण + स्रज्)
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
उरांसिchests/breasts
उरांसि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootउरस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
पाणिभिःwith (their) hands
पाणिभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपाणि
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
ह्नन्त्यःstriking (beating)
ह्नन्त्यः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle)
व्यलपन्lamented
व्यलपन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि + लप्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural
करुणम्pitiably, mournfully
करुणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकरुण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
स्त्रियःwomen
स्त्रियः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
S
striyaḥ (women)
Ā
ābharaṇa (ornaments)
S
sraj (garlands)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how catastrophic events shatter social and domestic stability: the women’s dishevelled hair and discarded ornaments symbolize the suspension of normal dharmic household life under extreme sorrow, underscoring impermanence and the human cost of violence.

In the Mausala Parva’s aftermath, the women are shown in public mourning—hair loosened, ornaments and garlands cast aside—beating their chests and crying out in grief for the dead and the ruined community.