Mahabharata (Gita Press) 11.21.6 - Stree Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 6
अध्याय २१ — गान्धार्या वैकर्तनदर्शनम्
Gāndhārī’s Viewing of Vaikartana/Karṇa
समेता: पुरुषव्याप्र निहतं शूरमाहवे | प्रकीर्णमूर्धजा: पत्न्यो रुदत्य: पर्युपासते,पुरुषसिंह! रणभूमिमें मारे गये इस शूरवीरके पास आकर इसकी पत्नियाँ सिरके बाल बिखेरे बैठी हुई रो रही हैं
sametāḥ puruṣavyāghra nihataṃ śūram āhave | prakīrṇamūrdhajāḥ patnyo rudatyaḥ paryupāsate ||
വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ പുരുഷവ്യാഘ്രാ! യുദ്ധത്തിൽ വധിക്കപ്പെട്ട ആ ശൂരന്റെ സമീപം അവന്റെ ഭാര്യമാർ ഒന്നിച്ചുകൂടി; മുടി അഴിച്ചുവിട്ട്, അവന്റെ അരികിൽ ഇരുന്ന് അവർ വിലപിക്കുന്നു।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical and human aftermath of warfare: even heroic death leaves behind intense suffering for dependents, especially wives, highlighting compassion and the tragic cost that follows violence.
After a warrior has been killed in battle, his wives gather around his body on the battlefield, their hair loosened in mourning, and they sit near him crying.
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