Shloka 1
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Kṛṣṇa’s Rudra-Cosmogony Explanation (सौप्तिक पर्व, अध्याय १७)
/ ऑपन-माज बक। डे सप्तदशो< ध्याय: अपने समस्त पुत्रों और सैनिकोंके मारे जानेके विषयमें युधिष्ठिरका और उत्तरमें श्रीकृष्णके द्वारा जी हित प्रतिपादन वैशम्पायन उवाच हतेषु सर्वसैन्येषु सौप्तिके तै रथैस्त्रिभि: | शोचन् युधिष्ठटिरो राजा दाशाहमिदमब्रवीत्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | hateṣu sarvasainyeṣu sauptike tair rathais tribhiḥ | śocan yudhiṣṭhiro rājā dāśārham idam abravīt ||
وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—جب رات کے چھاپہ مار قتلِ عام (سَپتِک) میں اُن تین مہارَتھیوں نے تمام لشکروں کو تہہِ تیغ کر دیا، تو غم سے نڈھال راجہ یُدھِشٹھِر نے دَاشارْہ (شری کرشن) سے یوں کہا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces an ethical inquiry rather than stating a doctrine: catastrophic, morally troubling violence (a night massacre) prompts the righteous king to seek guidance from Kṛṣṇa. It frames the coming discussion around dharma—how to respond to grief, injustice, and the limits of retaliation.
After the Sauptika episode in which the camp is destroyed at night by three great fighters, Yudhiṣṭhira mourns the loss of the entire allied force and turns to Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Dāśārha) to speak—setting up Kṛṣṇa’s response and counsel in the verses that follow.