Shloka 42
Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Survey: The Fallen and the Onset of Funeral Rites (शल्य-भगीरथ-भीष्म-द्रोणादि-दर्शनम्)
गच्छन्त्यभिमुखा गड़्ां द्रोणशिष्या द्विजातय: । अपय्व्यां चितिं कृत्वा पुरस्कृत्य कृपी च ते,चिताकी अग्निमें अग्निहोत्रसहित द्रोणाचार्यको रखकर उनकी आहुति दे उन्हींके शिष्य द्विजातिगण कृपीको आगे और चिताको दायें करके गंगाजीके तटकी ओर जा रहे हैं
gacchanty abhimukhā gaṅgāṃ droṇaśiṣyā dvijātayaḥ | apavyaṃ citiṃ kṛtvā puraskṛtya kṛpī ca te ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Para murid dwijati Droṇa bergerak menghadap ke arah Sungai Gaṅgā. Dengan menempatkan Kṛpī di hadapan dan menjadikan unggun di sebelah kanan sebagai tanda penghormatan, mereka meneruskan perjalanan—membawa api suci serta ritus yang wajib bagi guru mereka.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in the wake of catastrophic violence, dharma requires honoring relationships and obligations—here, the disciples’ duty to their guru—through correct and respectful rites. The verse highlights reverence (keeping the pyre to the right, leading with the honored person) and the ethical continuity of ritual responsibility amid grief.
Droṇa’s disciples are taking the funeral pyre toward the river Gaṅgā for the concluding rites. They proceed with Kṛpī placed in front as the honored elder, and they keep the pyre to their right in a gesture of respect while moving toward the riverbank.