Shloka 33
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 diśaḥ palāyitāḥ, tadā bahavaḥ kaurava-sainikā gahana-vane nihitāḥ tataḥ nirgatyārjunaṃ prati bhayāt bhayāt samupāyayuḥ | teṣāṃ hṛdaye bhayaṃ samāviśat | te kṣudhārditāḥ pipāsitāś ca pariśrāntāś ca | videśasthitvāt teṣāṃ mānasī vyākulatā bhūya eva vardhitā | te tasmin kāle muktakeśā añjalibaddhahastāś ca tiṣṭhanta iti dṛśyante |
वैशम्पायन उवाच—यदा कौरवाः सर्वा दिशो विद्रुत्य निवृत्ताः, तदा घनकानने निलीनाः बहवः कौरवयोधा भीतहृदयाः कम्पमानाः पार्थमुपजग्मुः। ते क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ताः; विदेशस्थत्वाच्चान्तर्दुःखं भूयः प्रावर्धत। तदा विकीर्णकेशाः कृताञ्जलयः पुरतः स्थिताः—पराजयदैन्यं च दर्शयन्तः, विजेतुः प्रभावं च मौनेनाभ्युपगच्छन्तः, हिंसाविरतिं रक्षणं च याचमानाः।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical moment after conflict: the defeated, frightened enemy seeks refuge with joined hands. It implicitly calls attention to the victor’s dharma—restraint, protection of the helpless, and avoidance of needless cruelty once the opponent is broken and supplicating.
After the Kaurava forces scatter and flee, some soldiers who had been hiding in a dense forest emerge. Hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and mentally shaken—made worse by being in an unfamiliar land—they approach Arjuna in fear, standing with loosened hair and folded hands as supplicants.