Shloka 8
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
पुण्ये भागीरथीतीरे शोकव्याकुलचेतसम् । आश्वासयन्तो राजानं विप्रा: शतसहस्रश:
puṇye bhāgīrathītīre śokavyākulacetasam | āśvāsayanto rājānaṁ viprāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Di tebing suci Bhāgīrathī, ratusan ribu resi Brahmana mengelilingi Raja Yudhiṣṭhira—yang jiwanya dilanda dukacita—dan demi menenangkannya, mereka duduk dekat dengan cara yang sesuai dengan waktu dan keadaan. Adegan ini membingkai krisis moral pascaperang: kesedihan raja disambut bukan dengan pujian kosong, melainkan dengan kehadiran teguh para tua yang berilmu, yang menuntunnya kembali kepada pemerintahan yang benar menurut dharma dan keteguhan batin.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Grief after violence, even when one has acted under duty, must be met through dharmic counsel and steadying companionship. The presence of sages signifies that ethical recovery and rightful rule arise from listening to wisdom, honoring context (deśa-kāla), and transforming sorrow into responsible action.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira is mentally shaken by sorrow. On the sacred bank of the Bhāgīrathī, vast numbers of brāhmaṇa sages gather around him, console him, and sit near him appropriately, setting the stage for the teachings of Śānti Parva on peace, duty, and governance.