Shloka 2
Gṛdhra–Jambuka Saṃvāda (Dialogue of the Vulture and the Jackal) — On Grief, Kāla, and Resolve
नाहं ते विप्रियं कान्त कदाचिदपि संस्मरे | सर्वापि विधवा नारी बहुपुत्रापि शोचते
nāhaṃ te vipriyaṃ kānta kadācid api saṃsmare | sarvāpi vidhavā nārī bahuputrāpi śocate
Bhīṣma nói: “Người yêu dấu, ta không nhớ mình từng làm điều gì khiến nàng phiền lòng. Thế nhưng người đàn bà goá nào, dẫu có nhiều con trai, vẫn cứ đau buồn.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhīṣma highlights that grief is not always removed by external supports such as family or progeny; widowhood signifies a deep personal loss, and even many sons cannot fully substitute for the husband. The verse underscores compassion and realism about human sorrow.
Bhīṣma addresses a beloved interlocutor, asserting he cannot recall having wronged them, and then generalizes the point by observing the universal grief of widows—even those with many sons—framing the discussion in the Shānti Parva’s reflective, ethical tone.