Shloka 13
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 141: Bhīma–Hiḍimba Confrontation and Protective Discourse
ततस्तस्मिन् पुरे लोका नगरे वारणावते । दृष्टवा जतुगृहं दग्धमन्वशोचन्त दु:ःखिता:,तदनन्तर वारणावत नगरमें वहाँके लोगोंने लाक्षागृहको दग्ध हुआ देख (अत्यन्त) दुःखी हो पाण्डवोंके लिये (बड़ा) शोक किया
tatas tasmin pure lokā nagare vāraṇāvate | dṛṣṭvā jatugṛhaṃ dagdham anv-aśocanta duḥkhitāḥ ||
ครั้นแล้ว ณ นครวารณาวตะ ชาวเมืองทั้งหลายเห็นเรือนยางรักถูกเผาผลาญ ก็เศร้าโศกยิ่งนัก คร่ำครวญอาลัยต่อเหล่าปาณฑพอย่างสุดซึ้ง
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how easily society can be led by outward appearances: the people grieve sincerely, yet their sorrow is based on what they see rather than full truth. Ethically, it points to the harm caused by deceit and the vulnerability of public judgment when information is incomplete.
In Vāraṇāvata, the townspeople witness the lac house burned and, believing the Pāṇḍavas to have perished in the fire, they mourn for them in great distress.