Shloka 28
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 vicetasaḥ | yadā kaurava-dalake lokāś calitā vā diśo diśaṃ pradrutāḥ, tadā bahavaḥ kaurava-sainikā gahanaṃ vanaṃ praviśya tatra guptāḥ santaḥ, tato nirgatyārjunaṃ prati bhayāt bhayāt samupāyayuḥ | teṣāṃ hṛdaye bhayaṃ samāviśat | te kṣudhārditāḥ pipāsitāś ca pariśrāntāś ca | videśavāsāt teṣāṃ vyākulatā bhūya eva vardhitā | te tadā muktakeśāḥ kṛtāñjalayaḥ sthitā dṛśyante sma ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—कौरवबलस्य निवृत्तेः सर्वदिक्पलायनस्य चानन्तरं, ये कौरवाः सघनवने निलीनाः आसन् ते बहवो निर्गत्य भीताः कम्पमानाः पार्थस्य समीपमाययुः। भयेन तेषां चेतांसि व्याकुलानि। ते क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ताः; विदेशे स्थितत्वात् दुःखं तेषां भूयः प्रववृधे। तदा ते विमुक्तकेशाः कृताञ्जलयः पुरतः स्थिताः—पराजयस्य नैतिकेऽवशेषे शरणं याचमानाः।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid warfare, the defeated and terrified may seek refuge; their posture of folded hands signals a moral claim for protection. The scene foregrounds dharma as restraint and humane response to surrender, not merely victory over an enemy.
After the Kaurava forces scatter, some soldiers who had hidden in a dense forest emerge and approach Arjuna in fear. Hungry, thirsty, and exhausted—made more anxious by being away from home—they stand before him with loosened hair and folded hands, pleading for safety.