Mahabharata 11.13.9 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 9
Gāndhārī’s Grief, Vyāsa’s Pacification, and the Ethics of Retaliation (गान्धारी-शोकः शमोपदेशश्च)
“भरतनन्दन! आप अपनी ओर तो देखिये। आपका बर्ताव सदा ही न्यायके विपरीत रहा है। राजन! आप अपने मनको वशमें न करके सदा दुर्योधनके अधीन रहे हैं ।।
ātmāparādhād āpatannas tat kiṃ bhīmaṃ jighāṃsasi | tasmāt saṃyaccha kopaṃ tvaṃ svam anusmara duṣkṛtam ||
“Ó descendente de Bharata! Olha primeiro para ti mesmo. Teu proceder sempre foi contrário à justiça. Ó rei, sem dominar a própria mente, permaneceste sob Duryodhana. Tendo caído na calamidade por tua própria falta, por que desejas agora matar Bhīmasena? Portanto, refreia a tua ira e recorda os teus próprios maus feitos.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses moral accountability: misfortune arises from one’s own wrongdoing, so blaming others and seeking violent retaliation is unjust. The proper response is to restrain anger and reflect on one’s own misdeeds.
Vaiśampāyana reports an admonition directed at a royal figure consumed by rage and seeking to harm Bhīma. The speaker argues that the present calamity is self-caused and urges the person to curb anger and remember their own wrongful actions.
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