Shloka 7
Duryodhana’s Account of Gandharva Defeat and the Pandavas’ Intervention (दुर्योधनवर्णितो गन्धर्वसंग्रामः)
ततः कथास्तस्य निशम्य राजा वैचित्रवीर्य: कृपयाभितप्त: । वने तथा पार्थिवपुत्रपौत्रान् श्रुत्वा तथा दुःखनदीं प्रपन्नान्,ब्राह्मणकी ये बातें सुनकर विचित्रवीर्यनन्दन राजा धृतराष्ट्र दयासे द्रवित हो बहुत दुःखी हो गये। जब उन्होंने सुना कि राजाके पुत्र और पौत्र होकर भी पाण्डव इस प्रकार दुःखकी नदीमें डूबे हुए हैं, तब उनका हृदय करुणासे भर आया और वे लंबी-लंबी साँसे खींचते हुए किसी प्रकार धैर्य धारण करके सब कुछ अपनी ही करतूतका परिणाम समझकर यों बोले --
tataḥ kathās tasya niśamya rājā vaicitryavīryaḥ kṛpayābhitaptaḥ | vane tathā pārthivaputrapautrān śrutvā tathā duḥkhanadīṁ prapannān |
Ao ouvir tais relatos, o rei—descendente de Vicitravīrya—ardeu de compaixão. E quando soube que os Pāṇḍava, embora filhos e netos de reis, na floresta haviam caído como que num rio de sofrimento, seu coração se encheu de piedade; soltando longos suspiros, firmou-se com dificuldade e, tomando tudo como fruto de seus próprios atos, falou.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of karma and responsibility: even a powerful king is forced to confront the suffering caused by his own choices, and genuine compassion arises when one recognizes the human cost of adharma within the family.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that Dhṛtarāṣṭra hears detailed news of the Pāṇḍavas’ hardships in forest exile. Moved deeply, he struggles to compose himself and prepares to speak, interpreting their misery as a consequence of his own actions.