Shloka 12
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
कच्चिच्च निहतामित्र: प्रीणासि सुह्ृदो नूप । कच्चिच्छियमिमां प्राप्प न त्वां शोक: प्रबाधते
kaccic ca nihatāmītraḥ prīṇāsi suhṛdo nūpa | kaccic chrīyam imāṃ prāpya na tvāṃ śokaḥ prabādhate ||
Wahai raja! Benarkah musuh-musuhmu telah ditewaskan, dan adakah engkau memuaskan hati sahabat-sahabat yang mengasihimu? Dan setelah memperoleh kemakmuran kerajaan ini, adakah engkau bebas daripada gangguan dukacita?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames kingship as more than victory: a ruler must ensure the well-being of allies and inner stability. Even after gaining sovereignty and prosperity, one must not be ruled by grief; ethical governance requires both external security (enemies subdued) and internal composure (freedom from debilitating sorrow).
Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating the events, poses welfare-questions to the king: whether the enemies have been defeated, whether friends and supporters are being kept content, and whether the newly obtained royal fortune is accompanied by peace of mind rather than grief—setting the tone for Śānti Parva’s reflections after the war.