Mahabharata 11.21.6 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 6

अध्याय २१ — गान्धार्या वैकर्तनदर्शनम्

Gāndhārī’s Viewing of Vaikartana/Karṇa

Devanagari script

समेता: पुरुषव्याप्र निहतं शूरमाहवे | प्रकीर्णमूर्धजा: पत्न्यो रुदत्य: पर्युपासते,पुरुषसिंह! रणभूमिमें मारे गये इस शूरवीरके पास आकर इसकी पत्नियाँ सिरके बाल बिखेरे बैठी हुई रो रही हैं

Transliteration

sametāḥ puruṣavyāghra nihataṃ śūram āhave | prakīrṇamūrdhajāḥ patnyo rudatyaḥ paryupāsate ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O tigre sa hanay ng mga lalaki, ang mga asawa—nagtipon sa paligid ng bayaning napatay sa labanan—ay naupo sa tabi niya, gusot ang buhok, at humahagulhol.” Inilalantad ng tagpong ito ang tunay na kabayaran ng digmaan: kasunod agad ng pagbagsak ng matapang ay ang dalamhati at kahinaan ng mga nakatali sa kanya ng tungkulin at pag-ibig.

Word by Word

• समेताः: having come together, assembled
• समेताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समेत (सम् + इ + क्त)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पुरुषव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-व्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निहतम्: slain
• निहतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (नि + हन् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शूरम्: hero, brave man
• शूरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रकीर्णमूर्धजाः: with dishevelled hair
• प्रकीर्णमूर्धजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकीर्ण-मूर्धज
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पत्न्यः: wives
• पत्न्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• रुदत्यः: weeping
• रुदत्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुदत् (रुद् + शतृ)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• पर्युपासते: sit around, attend upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + उप + आस्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• पुरुषसिंह: O lion among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• puruṣavyāghra (addressed listener)
• the slain hero (unnamed)
• wives of the slain warrior
• battlefield (raṇabhūmi/āhava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical and human aftermath of warfare: even heroic death leaves behind intense suffering for dependents, especially wives, highlighting compassion and the tragic cost that follows violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a warrior has been killed in battle, his wives gather around his body on the battlefield, their hair loosened in mourning, and they sit near him crying.