Shloka 26
अध्याय १५ (Āśramavāsika-parva): धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनवासानुज्ञायाचनम् — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s renewed plea for consent to forest-dwelling
कि वयं कारिता: पूर्व भवत्या पृथिवीक्षयम् | कस्य हेतो: परित्यज्य वन॑ गन्तुमभीप्ससि,“यदि ऐसा ही करना था तो आपने इस भूमण्डलका विनाश क्यों करवाया? क्या कारण है कि आप हमें छोड़कर वनमें जाना चाहती हैं?
ki vayaṃ kāritāḥ pūrvaṃ bhavatyā pṛthivīkṣayam | kasya hetoḥ parityajya vanaṃ gantum abhīpsasi ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—किं वयं कारिताः पूर्वं भवत्या पृथिवीक्षयम् । कस्य हेतोः परित्यज्य वनं गन्तुमभीप्ससि ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds moral accountability: actions that bring vast harm (pṛthivīkṣaya) cannot be lightly followed by withdrawal. It questions the ethics of renunciation when it appears to evade responsibility for consequences imposed on others.
A speaker (reported by Vaiśaṃpāyana) confronts a woman who now wishes to depart for the forest, challenging her: if she earlier drove events leading to widespread destruction, why abandon those left behind, and what motive justifies this sudden turn to forest-life.