Mahabharata 1.96.65 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 96, Shloka 65
आदि पर्व, अध्याय 96 — काश्यकन्याहरणं, शाल्वसमागमः, अम्बावचनं च
Kāśī princesses taken; encounter with Śālva; Ambā’s declaration
तत्रैनं चिताग्निस्थं माद्री समन्वारुरोह उवाच कुन्तीम; यमयोरप्रमत्तया त्वया भवितव्यमिति
tatrainaṃ citāgnisthaṃ mādrī samanvāruroha uvāca kuntīm—yamayor apramattayā tvayā bhavitavyam iti |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Di sana, melihatnya terbaring di tengah api unggun pembakaran, Mādrī naik menyusul ke atas pira dan berkata kepada Kuntī: “Wahai saudari, janganlah sekali-kali engkau lalai; hendaklah engkau sentiasa berjaga dalam membesarkan dan melindungi kedua-dua puteraku yang kembar.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as vigilant guardianship: when a caregiver is lost, responsibility must be consciously assumed by those who remain. Mādrī’s final request frames child-rearing as an ethical obligation requiring apramāda (non-negligence).
After Pāṇḍu’s death, Mādrī climbs onto the funeral pyre with his body and addresses Kuntī, entrusting her with the careful upbringing and protection of Mādrī’s twin sons, Nakula and Sahadeva.
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