Shloka 24
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
अजानता मया क्षात्रा राज्यलुब्धेन घातित:
ajānātā mayā kṣātrā rājyalubdhena ghātitaḥ
យុធិស្ឋិរៈបានមានព្រះវាចា៖ «ដោយអវិជ្ជារបស់ខ្ញុំ—ត្រូវបានជំរុញដោយធម៌នៃក្សត្រយុទ្ធ និងត្រូវបានបាំងភ្នែកដោយលោភលន់ចំពោះរាជ្យ—បានធ្វើឲ្យមនុស្សជាច្រើនត្រូវស្លាប់»។
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights moral accountability: even actions justified as “kṣatriya duty” become ethically tainted when driven by craving for power. Yudhiṣṭhira frames violence as a consequence of ignorance and attachment to sovereignty, implying that dharma requires inner clarity and freedom from greed.
In the opening of Śānti Parva, after the devastation of the Kurukṣetra war, Yudhiṣṭhira speaks in grief and self-reproach. He attributes the slaughter to his own failings—ignorance and desire for the kingdom—despite acting under the banner of warrior duty.