Mahabharata 1.103.7 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 103, Shloka 7
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 103 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Gāndhārī Vivāha: Proposal, Consent, and the Vow
सोद्वेगा इव तं॑ दृष्टवा कन्या: परमशोभना: । अपाक्रामन्त ता: सर्वा वृद्ध इत्येव चिन्तया
sodvegā iva taṁ dṛṣṭvā kanyāḥ paramaśobhanāḥ | apākrāmanta tāḥ sarvā vṛddha ityeva cintayā ||
انہیں دیکھ کر وہ نہایت حسین دوشیزائیں گویا گھبرا گئیں؛ بس یہی سوچ کر کہ ‘یہ بوڑھے ہیں’ وہ سب ہٹ کر دور چلی گئیں۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quick, surface-level judgments—here, equating age with undesirability—can drive behavior. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical landscape, it invites reflection on discernment (viveka) and respect beyond appearances, especially in contexts shaped by social expectation and dynastic aims.
As a notable figure arrives, the assembled maidens, on seeing him, become uneasy and step away, thinking he is old. The moment captures the social dynamics of a marriage-selection setting, where appearance and suitability are immediately assessed.
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