Shloka 29
Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
वैशम्पायन उवाच (ऋषयस्तान् समाश्चास्य पाण्डवान् सत्यविक्रमान् | ऊचुः कुन्तीं च माद्रीं च समाश्वास्य तपस्विन: ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
ṛṣayastān samāśvāsya pāṇḍavān satyavikramān |
ūcuḥ kuntīṃ ca mādrīṃ ca samāśvāsya tapaspinaḥ ||
subhage bālaputre tu na martavyaṃ kathaṃcana |
pāṇḍavān api neṣyāmaḥ kururāṣṭraṃ paraṃtapān ||
adharmeṣv arthajāteṣu dhṛtarāṣṭro hi lobhavān |
sa kadācit na varteta pāṇḍaveṣu yathāvidhi ||
kuntīyā vṛṣṇayo nāthāḥ kuntibhojas tathaiva ca |
mādrīyā balināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ śalyo bhrātā mahārathaḥ ||
bhartṛā tu maraṇaṃ sārthaṃ phalavannātra saṃśayaḥ |
yuvābhyāṃ duṣkaraṃ caitad vadanti dvijapuṅgavāḥ ||
mṛte bhartari yā sādhvī brahmacaryavrate sthitā |
yamaiś ca niyamaiḥ śrāntā manovākkāyajaiḥ śubhaiḥ ||
vratopavāsaniyamaiḥ kṛcchraiś cāndrāyaṇādibhiḥ |
bhūśayyāṃ kṣāralavaṇavarjanaṃ caikabhojanam ||
yena kenāpi vidhinā dehaśoṣaṇatatparā |
dehapoṣaṇasaṃyuktā viṣayair hata-cetanā ||
dehavyayena narakaṃ mahad āpnoty asaṃśayam |
tasmāt saṃśoṣayed dehaṃ viṣayā nāśam āpnuyuḥ ||
bhartaraṃ cintayantī sā bhartare nistarec chubhā |
tāritaś cāpi bhartā syād ātmā putras tathaiva ca ||
tasmāj jīvitam evaitad yuvayor vidyate śobhanam ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—ऋषयस्तान् समाश्वास्य पाण्डवान् सत्यविक्रमान्। ऊचुः कुन्तीं च माद्रीं च समाश्वास्य तपस्विनः॥ सुभगे बालपुत्रे तु न मर्तव्यं कथंचन। पाण्डवानपि नेष्यामः कुरुराष्ट्रं परंतपान्॥ अधर्मेष्वर्थजातेषु धृतराष्ट्रोऽतिलोभवान्। स कदाचिन्न वर्तेत पाण्डवेषु यथाविधि॥ कुन्त्याश्च वृष्णयो नाथाः कुन्तिभोजस्तथैव च। माद्र्याश्च बलिनां श्रेष्ठः शल्यो भ्राता महारथः॥ भर्त्रा तु मरणं सार्थं फलवन्नात्र संशयः। युवाभ्यां दुष्करं चैतद् वदन्ति द्विजपुङ्गवाः॥ मृते भर्तरि या साध्वी ब्रह्मचर्यव्रते स्थिता। यमैर्नियमैः श्रान्ता मनोवाक्कायजैः शुभैः॥ व्रतोपवासनियमैः कृच्छ्रैश्चान्द्रायणादिभिः। भूशय्यां क्षारलवणवर्जनं चैकभोजनम्॥ येन केनापि विधिना देहशोषणतत्परा। देहपोषणसंयुक्ता विषयैर्हतचेतना॥ देहव्ययेन नरकं महदाप्नोत्यसंशयः। तस्मात्संशोषयेद्देहं विषया नाशमाप्नुयुः॥ भर्तरं चिन्तयन्ती सा भर्तरे निस्तरेच्छुभा। तारितश्चापि भर्ता स्यादात्मा पुत्रस्तथैव च॥ तस्माज्जीवितमेवैतद् युवयोर्विद्य शोभनम्॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The seers argue that, though dying with one’s husband is praised as meritorious, Kuntī and Mādrī should preserve life for the sake of their young sons and the continuity of dharma. They emphasize disciplined widowhood—continence, austerity, and restraint of sense-desires—warning that indulgence and mere bodily nourishment leads to moral downfall and painful consequences.
After Pāṇḍu’s death, ascetic sages console Kuntī and Mādrī and advise them not to die. They promise to escort the Pāṇḍavas to the Kuru realm, caution that Dhṛtarāṣṭra will not treat them properly due to greed, and point to the women’s external supports (Vṛṣṇis, Kuntibhoja, and Śalya). They then outline an ideal of disciplined conduct for a virtuous widow and conclude that living on to protect and raise the children is the best course.