Shloka 33
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
प्राप्तान् विषह्ां श्वतुरो न हनिष्यामि ते सुतान् । पज्चैव हि सुता देवि भविष्यन्ति तव ध्रुवा:
prāptān viṣahān śvaturō na haniṣyāmi te sutān | pañcaiva hi sutā devi bhaviṣyanti tava dhruvāḥ ||
ਯੁਧਿਸ਼ਠਿਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—“ਉਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਵੱਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਆ ਗਏ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਨੁਕਸਾਨ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਸਮਰੱਥ ਵੀ ਹਨ; ਫਿਰ ਵੀ ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਪੁੱਤਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਵਧ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਾਂਗਾ। ਹੇ ਦੇਵੀ, ਤੇਰੇ ਪੰਜ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੀ ਹੋਣਗੇ—ਇਹ ਧ੍ਰੁਵ ਹੈ।”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic restraint: even when opponents are within his power and potentially dangerous, he chooses not to kill. Ethical kingship is shown as self-control and compassion rather than vengeance.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a goddess (devī), declaring that he will not slay her sons despite their being within reach. He then assures her of a destined outcome: she will certainly have five sons.