Shloka 37
स्त्री-विलापः — गान्धार्याः रणभूमिदर्शनं शापवचनं च
Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्त्वा न्यपतद् भूमौ गान्धारी शोकमूर्च्छिता । दुःखोपहतविज्ञाना धैर्यमुत्सूज्य भारत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं-- भारत! ऐसा कहकर शोकसे मूर्च्छित हुई गान्धारी धैर्य छोड़कर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ीं, दुःखसे उनकी विवेकशक्ति नष्ट हो गयी
vaiśampāyana uvāca: ity uktvā nyapatad bhūmau gāndhārī śokamūrcchitā | duḥkhopahatavijñānā dhairyam utsṛjya bhārata ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「そう言い終えると、ガーンドハーリーは悲嘆に呑まれ、嘆きのあまり気を失って地に崩れ落ちた。おおバーラタよ、憂いは彼女の分別を打ち砕き、心の堅忍はことごとく捨て去られた。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and psychological aftermath of violence: even those known for restraint can be undone by overwhelming loss. It implicitly warns that war’s consequences extend beyond victory or defeat, eroding inner stability (dhairya) and clear judgment (vijñāna).
After speaking (in the surrounding context of lamentation in Strīparvan), Gāndhārī is overcome by grief, loses composure, and collapses to the earth; Vaiśampāyana narrates this to the listener addressed as ‘Bhārata’ (Dhṛtarāṣṭra).