Shloka 29
अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
यथा हि शकुनिं गृह छित्त्वा पक्षी च संजय
yathā hi śakuniṁ gṛhe chittvā pakṣī ca sañjaya, tathāham api samprāpto lūna-pakṣa iva dvijaḥ |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Wahai Sañjaya, sebagaimana seekor burung ditangkap di dalam rumah lalu dipotong kedua sayapnya, demikianlah aku juga telah sampai ke keadaan ini—bagaikan burung ‘dua kali lahir’ yang disiat sayapnya. Setelah hilang daya untuk terbang dan pergi ke mana ia kehendaki, ia dibiarkan tidak berdaya; demikian pula aku jatuh ke dalam kesengsaraan yang amat berat, tidak mampu bertindak dan tidak mampu lari daripada akibat perbuatan rumahku sendiri.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a vivid simile to express how moral and political failures can leave a person powerless: when one’s own household’s choices lead to ruin, the resulting suffering feels like having one’s ‘wings’ cut—unable to move freely, correct the course, or escape consequences.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks to Sañjaya in anguish during the war reports. He compares his present condition to a bird whose wings have been cut and then released—alive but incapable of flight—signaling his despair and sense of helplessness amid the calamity befalling his sons and kingdom.