Shloka 48
Bhīṣmadeva’s Passing Away in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa
ततो युधिष्ठिरो गत्वा सहकृष्णो गजाह्वयम् । पितरं सान्त्वयामास गान्धारीं च तपस्विनीम् ॥ ४८ ॥
tato yudhiṣṭhiro gatvā saha-kṛṣṇo gajāhvayam pitaraṁ sāntvayām āsa gāndhārīṁ ca tapasvinīm
അതിനുശേഷം മഹാരാജ യുദ്ധിഷ്ഠിരൻ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണനോടൊപ്പം ഗജാഹ്വയം (ഹസ്തിനാപുരം) ചെന്നു; അവിടെ തന്റെ പിതൃസഹോദരനെയും തപസ്വിനിയായ ഗാന്ധാരിയെയും ആശ്വസിപ്പിച്ചു।
Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī, the father and the mother of Duryodhana and his brothers, were the elder uncle and aunt of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. After the Battle of Kurukṣetra, the celebrated couple, having lost all their sons and grandsons, were under the care of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. They were passing their days in great agony over such a heavy loss of life and were practically living the life of ascetics. The death news of Bhīṣmadeva, uncle of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, was another great shock for the King and the Queen, and therefore they required solace from Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was conscious of his duty, and he at once hurried to the spot with Lord Kṛṣṇa and satisfied the bereaved Dhṛtarāṣṭra with kind words, from both himself and the Lord also.
FAQs
This verse shows Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic compassion—despite the war’s pain, he goes with Kṛṣṇa to comfort Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the austere Gāndhārī, modeling forgiveness and responsibility.
After the events around Bhīṣma’s passing, Yudhiṣṭhira, accompanied by Kṛṣṇa, returns to the Kuru capital to fulfill royal duty and to console the grieving elders Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Gāndhārī.
It teaches emotional maturity and dharma: show empathy to grieving family members and elders, even in complicated relationships, and seek the Lord’s guidance (Kṛṣṇa’s presence) while doing difficult duties.