Shloka 15
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Remorse and Vyāsa’s Teaching on Impermanence (Śoka-nivāraṇa)
तन्मे दहति गात्राणि यन्मां गुरुभाषत
tan me dahati gātrāṇi yan māṃ gurur abhāṣata | tadā gurur mām apṛcchat—“rājan, satyaṃ vada, kiṃ me putro jīvati?” | sa brāhmaṇaḥ satyanirṇayārthaṃ mām etad apṛcchat | tasya vākyasya smṛtyā me sarvaṃ śarīraṃ śokāgninā dagdhaṃ bhavati ||
ຢຸທິສຖິຣ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຄວາມຈື່ຈຳນັ້ນເຜົາໄໝ້ອວັຍວະຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ—ເປັນຖ້ອຍຄຳທີ່ອາຈານເຄີຍກ່າວກັບຂ້າພະເຈົ້າ. ໃນຄາວນັ້ນ ຄູໄດ້ຖາມວ່າ: ‘ໂອ ກະສັດ, ຈົ່ງເວົ້າຄວາມຈິງ—ລູກຊາຍຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຍັງມີຊີວິດຢູ່ບໍ?’ ພຣາຫມັນຜູ້ນັ້ນຖາມເພື່ອຈະກຳນົດວ່າ ຄວາມຈິງເອງຮ້ອງຂໍໃຫ້ເຮັດແນວໃດ. ເມື່ອໃດທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າລະລຶກຖ້ອຍຄຳນັ້ນ ກາຍທັງໝົດຂອງຂ້າພະເຈົ້າຮູ້ສຶກດັ່ງຖືກເຜົາດ້ວຍໄຟແຫ່ງຄວາມໂສກ».
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical weight of satya (truthfulness) and the inner suffering that can follow when truth is tested in painful circumstances. Even when a question is posed to ascertain truth, the moral burden and emotional consequences can be intense, reminding the listener that dharma is not merely rule-following but lived responsibility.
Yudhiṣṭhira recalls a moment when his guru (a brāhmaṇa teacher) asked him directly whether the guru’s son was alive. The question was meant to force a clear decision about truth. Remembering that exchange now causes Yudhiṣṭhira deep anguish, described as his body burning in the fire of grief.