Shloka 16
Babhruvāhana’s Lament and Appeal for Expiation (प्रायश्चित्त-याचना)
पुत्रेण घातयित्वैनं पतिं यदि न मेउद्य वै जीवन्तं दर्शयस्यद्य परित्यक्ष्यामि जीवितम्
putreṇa ghātayitvainam patiṁ yadi na me ’dya vai jīvantaṁ darśayasy adya parityakṣyāmi jīvitam
«ເຈົ້າໄດ້ຍຸຍົງໃຫ້ລູກຊາຍຂອງຂ້າ ລົງມືຂ້າສາມີຂອງຂ້າ. ຫາກຫຼັງຈາກເຮັດທັງໝົດນີ້ແລ້ວ ມື້ນີ້—ແມ່ນມື້ນີ້ແທ້ໆ—ເຈົ້າບໍ່ສາມາດສະແດງໃຫ້ຂ້າເຫັນສາມີຂອງຂ້າຍັງມີຊີວິດ ຂ້າຈະລະທິ້ງຊີວິດຂອງຂ້າ»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses moral accountability: one who engineers violence bears responsibility not only for the harm done but also for making amends. It also portrays the intensity of pativratā-dharma—devotion to the husband—where the wife’s sense of righteous order collapses if the husband is not restored.
A woman addresses the one she holds responsible for orchestrating her husband’s death through her son. She issues an ultimatum: unless the husband is shown alive that very day, she will give up her own life.