Shloka 263
Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity
Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27
अभितो या: स्थितास्तत्र तस्मिन्नुदककर्मणि । राजन! इस प्रकार बहुत विलाप करके धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर फ़ूट-फूटकर रोने लगे। रोते- ही-रोते उन्होंने धीरे-धीरे कर्णके लिये जलदान किया। यह सब सुनकर वहाँ एकत्र हुई सारी स्त्रियाँ, जो वहाँ जलांजलि देनेके लिये सब ओर खड़ी थीं, सहसा जोर-जोरसे रोने लगीं
abhito yāḥ sthitās tatra tasminn udakakarmaṇi | rājan! … (gītā-press pāṭhe anantara-vṛttāntaḥ) dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ bahu vilapya phūṭ-phūṭkṛtya ruroda | rudadbhir eva śanaiḥ śanaiḥ karṇāya jaladānaṃ cakāra | etat śrutvā tatra samāgatāḥ sarvāḥ striyaḥ, yā udakāñjali-dānāya sarvataḥ sthitāḥ, sahasā uccaiḥ uccaiḥ ruroduḥ |
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Ao redor daquele lugar, no rito de oferecer água aos mortos, as mulheres estavam de pé por todos os lados. Ó rei, após lamentar por muito tempo, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira desabou e chorou sem controle. Mesmo chorando, realizou lentamente a oferenda de água para Karṇa. Ao ouvir isso, todas as mulheres reunidas ali—de pé ao redor, com as mãos postas para oferecer a água—de súbito começaram a chorar em alta voz.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after victory, dharma requires acknowledging loss and honoring the dead; Yudhiṣṭhira’s water-offering for Karṇa shows moral responsibility and compassion that transcend enmity, while grief is presented as a human and ethical response to the devastation of war.
During the post-war water-rite (udaka-karma), Yudhiṣṭhira laments intensely and, while still crying, performs the libation for Karṇa; the assembled women who are also there to offer water hear this and break into loud weeping.