स्त्रीपर्व — अध्याय १५: गान्धारी-युधिष्ठिर-संवादः
Gandhārī’s Confrontation and Consolation of Yudhiṣṭhira
बाष्पमाहारयद् देवी वस्त्रेणावृत्य वै मुखम् । कुन्तीदेवी दीर्घकालके बाद अपने पुत्रोंकी देखकर उनके कष्टोंका स्मरण करके करुणामें डूब गयीं और अंचलसे मुँह ढककर आँसू बहाने लगीं ।। ३३ $ ।। ततो बाष्पं समुत्सृज्य सह पुत्रैस्तदा पृथा
Vaiśampāyana uvāca | bāṣpam āhārayad devī vastreṇāvṛtya vai mukham | tato bāṣpaṃ samutsṛjya saha putrais tadā pṛthā ||
बाष्पमाहारयद् देवी वस्त्रेणावृत्य वै मुखम्। ततो बाष्पं समुत्सृज्य सह पुत्रैस्तदा पृथा।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical truth that war’s consequences are borne in grief and compassion; remembrance of suffering becomes a moral force that restrains pride and calls one toward responsibility and humane conduct.
Kuntī (Pṛthā), overwhelmed by sorrow, covers her face with her garment and weeps; then, after releasing her tears, she proceeds together with her sons, indicating a transition from private grief to the next action in the mourning sequence.