Shloka 3536
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament for Karṇa and Renunciation-Oriented Self-Assessment (शोक-प्रलापः / त्याग-प्रवृत्तिः)
हत्वा नो विगतो मन्यु: शोको मां रुन्धयत्ययम् । हमने शूरवीरोंको मारा, पाप किया और अपने ही देशका विनाश कर डाला। शत्रुओंको मारकर हमारा क्रोध तो दूर हो गया, परंतु यह शोक मुझे निरन्तर घेरे रहता है
hatvā no vigato manyuḥ śoko māṃ rundhayaty ayam |
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Setelah membunuh mereka, kemarahan kami memang telah reda; namun dukacita ini tidak melepaskanku—ia terus mengepung dan menyesakkanku. Kami telah membunuh para pahlawan, menanggung dosa, dan membawa kebinasaan ke atas negeri kami sendiri.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical aftermath of violence: even when anger is satisfied through victory, the moral and emotional consequences—grief, guilt, and a sense of sin—can persist. It frames the need for śānti (inner peace) and dharmic reflection after war.
In Śānti Parva, Yudhiṣṭhira, shaken after the Kurukṣetra war, speaks of his continuing sorrow. Though the immediate rage against enemies has ended, he feels overwhelmed by grief and remorse for the killing of heroes and the devastation brought upon his own kingdom.