Shloka 4
धृष्टद्युम्नेन समागतक्षत्रियगणगणना
Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s Enumeration of Assembled Kṣatriyas
ततः पाशैस्तदा55त्मानं गाढं बद्ध्वा महामुनिः । तस्या जले महानद्या निममज्ज सुदु:ःखित:,तब अत्यन्त दुःखी हुए महामुनि वसिष्ठ अपने शरीरको पाशोंद्वारा अच्छी तरह बाँधकर उस महानदीके जलनमें कूद पड़े
tataḥ pāśais tadātmānaṃ gāḍhaṃ baddhvā mahāmuniḥ | tasyā jale mahānadyā nimamajja suduḥkhitaḥ ||
Pagkaraan, sa sukdulang kawalang-pag-asa, mahigpit na iginapos ng dakilang rishi ang sarili niyang katawan sa mga tali, at lumundag sa tubig ng malaking ilog, lubhang nagdurusa. Ipinakikita ng tagpong ito na kahit ang marunong, kapag nilamon ng pighati, ay maaaring itulak sa sariling kapahamakan—ngunit sa salaysay ng Mahābhārata, ang ganitong sandali’y karaniwang ginagamit upang itampok ang pangangailangang manatiling matatag, magpigil, at panatilihin ang dharma kahit sa gitna ng pagdurusa.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse portrays the danger of being overcome by sorrow: even a great sage can be driven toward harmful action. In dharma-oriented literature, such episodes function as a caution—urging steadiness (dhṛti), restraint, and seeking righteous means rather than surrendering to despair.
A great sage, extremely distressed, binds himself tightly with ropes/nooses and plunges into the water of a great river, indicating an attempted self-destruction or escape from unbearable grief.