Shloka 8
अध्याय ९ — धृतराष्ट्रस्य युधिष्ठिरं प्रति राजनित्युपदेशः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Counsel on Royal Policy to Yudhiṣṭhira
हृदयै: शून्यभूतैस्ते धृतराष्ट्प्रवासजम् । दुःखं संधारयन्तो हि नष्टसंज्ञा इवाभवन्,उनका हृदय शून्य-सा हो गया था। वे उस सूने हृदयसे धृतराष्ट्रके प्रवासजनित दु:ःखको धारण करके अचेत-से हो गये
hṛdayaiḥ śūnyabhūtaiḥ te dhṛtarāṣṭra-pravāsajam | duḥkhaṃ sandhārayanto hi naṣṭa-saṃjñā ivābhavan ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang kanilang mga puso ay tila napawi at naging hungkag. Sa pagdadala ng dalamhating isinilang ng pag-alis ni Dhṛtarāṣṭra tungo sa pagkatapon sa gubat, sila’y naging gaya ng mga nawalan ng malay—natigilan at wasak sa loob dahil sa pighati.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the psychological and ethical weight of separation: even when exile is undertaken as a dharmic turn toward renunciation, those left behind may experience profound grief. It implicitly points to the human cost of duty and the need for steadiness (dhṛti) when facing inevitable departures.
After Dhṛtarāṣṭra departs for forest life (pravāsa), the people connected to him are overwhelmed. Their hearts feel emptied, and they endure the sorrow of his absence to the point of becoming dazed, as if unconscious.