Shloka 26
स्त्रीपर्व — अध्याय १५: गान्धारी-युधिष्ठिर-संवादः
Gandhārī’s Confrontation and Consolation of Yudhiṣṭhira
पुत्रहन्ता नृशंसो5हं तव देवि युधिष्ठिर: । शापा्ह: पृथिवीनाशे हेतुभूत: शपस्व माम्,यह सुनकर महाराज युधिष्छिर काँपते हुए हाथ जोड़े उनके सामने आये और बड़ी मीठी वाणीमें बोले--“देवि! आपके पुत्रोंका संहार करनेवाला क्रूरकर्मा युधिष्ठिर मैं हूँ। पृथ्वीभरके राजाओंका नाश करानेमें मैं ही हेतु हूँ, इसलिये शापके योग्य हूँ। आप मुझे शाप दे दीजिये
putrahantā nṛśaṁso 'haṁ tava devi yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | śāpārhaḥ pṛthivīnāśe hetubhūtaḥ śapasva mām ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: Yudhiṣṭhira thưa: “Ôi đức hậu—bậc vương hậu! Ta, Yudhiṣṭhira, là kẻ tàn nhẫn đã giết các con trai của người. Ta đã trở thành nguyên nhân khiến các bậc quân vương khắp cõi đất bị diệt vong; vì thế ta đáng chịu lời nguyền. Xin hãy nguyền rủa ta.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds moral accountability after violence: even a victorious ruler recognizes complicity in mass suffering and accepts the ethical consequences, seeking expiation through rightful censure rather than self-justification.
In the aftermath of the war, Yudhiṣṭhira approaches the bereaved queen (addressed as Devī, understood as Gāndhārī) and, overwhelmed by remorse for the death of her sons and the widespread ruin of kings, declares himself blameworthy and invites her to pronounce a curse upon him.