Shloka 2
धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)
सथूममिव नि:श्वस्य करौ धुन्वन् पुनः पुनः । विचिन्त्य च महाराज वचन चेदमब्रवीत्,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--महाराज! स्त्रियोंक बिदा हो जानेपर अम्बिकानन्दन राजा धृतराष्ट्र एक दुःखसे दूसरे दुःखमें पड़कर गरम-गरम उच्छवास लेते और बारंबार दोनों हाथ हिलाते हुए विलाप करने लगे और बड़ी देरतक चिन्तामग्न रहकर इस प्रकार बोले इति श्रीमहाभारते शल्यपर्वणि धृतराष्ट्रविलापे द्वितीयोडध्याय:
sthūmam iva niḥśvasya karau dhunvan punaḥ punaḥ | vicintya ca mahārāja vacanaṃ cedam abravīt | vaiśampāyana uvāca |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja! Setelah para wanita beredar, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, putera Ambikā, ditimpa dukacita demi dukacita; dia menghembuskan nafas panas seakan berasap, sambil berulang kali menggoncang kedua-dua tangannya dalam ratap. Sesudah termenung lama, dia pun mengucapkan kata-kata ini.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the moral-psychological aftermath of adharma and war: even a king is not insulated from the cascading weight of sorrow. It implicitly warns that actions and attachments culminate in inner suffering, and that unchecked partiality and desire can end in irreversible grief.
After the women leave, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is shown in acute distress—sighing hotly, gesturing with both hands, and lamenting. Having reflected for a long time, he begins to speak, setting up his forthcoming lament in the chapter.