Shloka 13
Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)
ता: सुघोरं तपस्तप्त्वा देव्यो भरतसत्तम । देहं त्यक्त्वा महाराज गतिमिष्टां ययुस्तदा,भरतवंशशिरोमणि महाराज जनमेजय! तब वे देवियाँ वनमें अत्यन्त घोर तपस्या करके शरीर त्यागकर अभीष्ट गतिको प्राप्त हो गयीं
tāḥ sughoraṃ tapastaptvā devyo bharatasattama | dehaṃ tyaktvā mahārāja gatimiṣṭāṃ yayustadā ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik dalam keturunan Bharata! Para wanita ilahi itu, setelah menjalani tapa yang amat dahsyat, kemudian meninggalkan jasad dan mencapai keadaan kewujudan yang mereka dambakan. Wahai raja agung!”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s valuation of tapas (disciplined austerity) and vairāgya (detachment): through intense spiritual effort and relinquishing bodily attachment, one may attain an intended or meritorious gati (posthumous destination).
Vaiśampāyana reports to King Janamejaya that certain divine women undertook extremely severe austerities in the forest; after completing their practice, they gave up their bodies and reached their desired spiritual destination.