Shloka 12
Duryodhana’s Post-Duel Lament and Instructions (भग्नसक्थस्य विलापः)
इस प्रकार चिन्ता करते हुए राजा युधिष्ठिरके हृदयमें उस समय यह विचार हुआ कि पहले क्रोधसे जलती हुई गान्धारी देवीको शान्त कर देना चाहिये ।। सा हि पुत्रवधं श्रुत्वा कृतमस्माभिरीदृशम् । मानसेनाग्निना क्ुद्धा भस्मसान्न: करिष्यति,वे हमलोगोंके द्वारा इस तरह पुत्रका वध किया गया सुनकर कुपित हो अपने संकल्पजनित अग्निसे हमें भस्म कर डालेंगी
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
iti prakāraṁ cintayataḥ rājñaḥ yudhiṣṭhirasya tadā hṛdaye ayaṁ vicāraḥ samabhavat—pūrvaṁ krodhena jvalantīṁ gāndhārīṁ devīṁ śāntayituṁ yuktam iti ||
sā hi putra-vadhaṁ śrutvā asmābhiḥ kṛtam īdṛśam | mānasenāgninā kruddhā bhasmasāt naḥ kariṣyati ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Ketika Raja Yudhiṣṭhira berfikir demikian, pada saat itu timbul dalam hatinya suatu pertimbangan: terlebih dahulu wajar menenangkan Permaisuri Gandhārī yang sedang menyala oleh murka. Kerana apabila baginda mendengar bahawa kitalah yang menyebabkan pembunuhan anak-anaknya sedemikian rupa, nescaya baginda akan murka, menyalakan api dalam batin dengan tekad semata-mata, lalu menjadikan kita abu.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a ‘just’ victory can carry moral peril when it causes immense suffering. The verse stresses the duty to acknowledge grief, restrain further harm, and seek reconciliation—especially with those wronged by the outcomes of war.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira anticipates Gāndhārī’s intense anger upon learning of her sons’ deaths. He decides that the first priority is to pacify her, fearing that her resolve-born ‘mental fire’ could destroy them (i.e., through a curse or spiritual power).