Shloka 26
Uttarā-Pratigrahaṇa and Abhimanyu–Uttarā Vivāha
Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 67
क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ता विदेशस्था विचेतस: । जब कौरव-दलके लोग चले गये या इधर-उधर सब दिशाओंमें भाग गये, उस समय बहुत-से कौरवसैनिक जो घने जंगलमें छिपे हुए थे, वहाँसे निकलकर डरते-डरते अर्जुनके पास आये। उनके मनमें भय समा गया था। वे भूखे-प्यासे और थके-माँदे थे। परदेशमें होनेके कारण उनके हृदयकी व्याकुलता और बढ़ गयी थी। वे उस समय केश खोले और हाथ जोड़े हुए खड़े दिखायी दिये
kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntā videśasthā viceṭasaḥ | yadā kaurava-dalake lokāś calitā vā diśo diśaṃ palāyitāḥ, tadā bahavaḥ kaurava-sainikā gahana-vane nigūḍhāḥ tataḥ niṣkramya bhayāt bhayāt arjunam upāyayuḥ | teṣāṃ hṛdaye bhayaṃ samāviśat | te kṣudhārditāḥ pipāsitāś ca pariśrāntāś ca āsan | videśavāsāt teṣāṃ hṛdayavyākulatā bhūya eva vardhitā | te tadā muktakeśā añjalibaddhahastāḥ sthitā iva dṛśyante sma |
वैशम्पायन उवाच—यदा कौरवसेना निवृत्ता दिक्षु च सर्वासु पलायिता, तदा बहवः कौरवसैनिकाः सघनात् काननात् निर्गत्य भीतभीताः कम्पमानाः पार्थमुपजग्मुः। भयेन तेषां हृदयानि व्याप्तानि। ते क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ताः; विदेशस्थत्वाच्च तेषां मनोव्यथा भूयसी बभूव। तदा ते विमुक्तकेशाः कृताञ्जलयः पार्थस्य पुरतः स्थिताः—शरणागतिप्रार्थनायाः स्पष्टं लक्षणम्।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and suffering dissolve martial arrogance: when confronted by a dharma-protected hero, even enemies may seek refuge. It implicitly points to the ethical duty of the strong—especially a kṣatriya like Arjuna—to respond with restraint and discernment rather than cruelty toward the defeated and supplicant.
After the Kaurava forces scatter and flee, some soldiers who had been hiding in a dense forest emerge and approach Arjuna. They are hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and mentally shaken, intensified by being in a foreign land. They stand with loosened hair and folded hands, signaling surrender and pleading for safety.