Shloka 303
अश्रमवासिनां विषादः — Lament in Hastināpura after the Elders’ Forest Withdrawal
तथैव पुत्रपौत्राणां मम ये निहता युधि । “ब्रह्मन्! जो मित्रके लिये युद्धमें मारे गये उन राजाओंकी क्या गति हुई होगी? तथा जो रणभूमिमें वीरगतिको प्राप्त हुए हैं
tathaiva putrapautrāṇāṁ mama ye nihatā yudhi |
ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ— ଏହିପରି ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ନିହତ ମୋ ପୁତ୍ର-ପୌତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ— ହେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ! ମିତ୍ର ପାଇଁ ସମରରେ ନିହତ ହୋଇଥିବା ସେ ରାଜାମାନଙ୍କର କେମିତି ଗତି ହେଲା? ଏବଂ ରଣଭୂମିରେ ବୀରଗତି ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ କରିଥିବା ମୋ ପୁତ୍ର-ପୌତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ କେଉଁ ଗତି ମିଳିଲା?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic and ethical inquiry: how to understand the spiritual consequence (gati) of death in war—especially for those who fought and died as kṣatriyas. It highlights the tension between duty-bound violence and the longing to know whether such deaths lead to merit, purification, or a higher realm.
In the Āśramavāsika context, the speaker (as narrated by Vaiśampāyana) voices a grief-filled question about the posthumous destiny of close kin—sons and grandsons—who were killed in the great war, seeking clarity about their fate beyond death.