Shloka 23
पाण्डोः श्राद्धं, सत्यवत्याः वनगमनम्, बाल्यस्पर्धा च
Pāṇḍu’s Śrāddha, Satyavatī’s Withdrawal, and Childhood Rivalry
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुकक््त्वा सुदु:खार्तो नि:श्वासपरमो नृप: । अवेक्षमाण: कुन्तीं च माद्रीं च समभाषत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! यों कहकर राजा पाण्डु अत्यन्त दुःखसे आतुर हो लंबी साँस खींचते और कुन्ती-माद्रीकी ओर देखते हुए उन दोनोंसे इस प्रकार बोले --
vaiśampāyana uvāca | evam uktvā suduḥkhārto niḥśvāsa-paramo nṛpaḥ | avekṣamāṇaḥ kuntīṃ ca mādrīṃ ca samabhāṣata |
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Tendo falado assim, o rei — oprimido por intensa tristeza e soltando longos e pesados suspiros — voltou o olhar para Kuntī e Mādrī e então se dirigiu a ambas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how profound sorrow can overtake even a king, setting a moral atmosphere where forthcoming decisions and speech carry ethical gravity. It frames responsible speech as arising in a moment of emotional crisis, reminding readers that dharma is often tested when one is distressed.
After saying something just prior to this verse, King Pāṇḍu becomes deeply grief-stricken, sighs heavily, looks at his two wives—Kuntī and Mādrī—and begins to address them, signaling a transition into an important conversation.