Shloka 37
स्त्री-विलापः — गान्धार्याः रणभूमिदर्शनं शापवचनं च
Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse
वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्त्वा न्यपतद् भूमौ गान्धारी शोकमूर्च्छिता । दुःखोपहतविज्ञाना धैर्यमुत्सूज्य भारत,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं-- भारत! ऐसा कहकर शोकसे मूर्च्छित हुई गान्धारी धैर्य छोड़कर पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ीं, दुःखसे उनकी विवेकशक्ति नष्ट हो गयी
vaiśampāyana uvāca: ity uktvā nyapatad bhūmau gāndhārī śokamūrcchitā | duḥkhopahatavijñānā dhairyam utsṛjya bhārata ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: “Tendo falado assim, Gāndhārī—subjugada e desfalecida pela dor—tombou ao chão. Ó Bhārata, seu discernimento foi despedaçado pelo sofrimento, e ela deixou escapar toda firmeza de espírito.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and psychological aftermath of violence: even those known for restraint can be undone by overwhelming loss. It implicitly warns that war’s consequences extend beyond victory or defeat, eroding inner stability (dhairya) and clear judgment (vijñāna).
After speaking (in the surrounding context of lamentation in Strīparvan), Gāndhārī is overcome by grief, loses composure, and collapses to the earth; Vaiśampāyana narrates this to the listener addressed as ‘Bhārata’ (Dhṛtarāṣṭra).