Shloka 33
तमुत्थाप्य ततो राजा परिष्वज्य च पीडितम् | मूर्थ््युपाच्राय चैवैनमिदं पुनरुवाच ह,तत्पश्चात् राजाने मन-ही-मन पीड़ाका अनुभव करनेवाले अर्जुनको उठाकर छातीसे लगा लिया और उनका मस्तक सूँघकर पुन: उनसे इस प्रकार कहा--
tam utthāpya tato rājā pariṣvajya ca pīḍitam | mūrdhny upāghrāya caivainam idaṃ punar uvāca ha ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian raja mengangkatnya; memeluk orang yang sedang menderita itu dan menghidu kepalanya sebagai tanda kasih sayang seorang bapa, lalu berkata kepadanya sekali lagi dengan kata-kata ini.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a human and ethical tension: even in a war driven by ambition and adharma, natural compassion and familial attachment persist. Such tenderness can be virtuous as care, yet it can also signal partiality and emotional entanglement that cloud righteous judgment.
Sañjaya narrates that the king lifts up the distressed person, embraces him, and smells his head—an intimate, paternal gesture—before speaking again. It sets the emotional tone for the king’s next words and shows the gravity of the distress being discussed.