Mahabharata 11.25.18 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 25, Shloka 18
स्त्री-विलापः — गान्धार्याः रणभूमिदर्शनं शापवचनं च
Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse
माधव! देखो, युद्धस्थलमें ट्रोणाचार्यने जिन्हें मार गिराया था, वे राजा द्रुपद सो रहे हैं, मानो किसी वनमें विशाल सिंहके द्वारा कोई महान् गजराज मारा गया हो ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
mādhava paśya yuddhasthale droṇācāryeṇa ye nipātitāḥ sa rājā drupadaḥ supta iva dṛśyate, yathā vane mahāsiṃhena mahān gajarājaḥ hataḥ ||
pāñcālarājño vimalaṃ puṇḍarīkākṣa pāṇḍuraṃ |
ātapatraṃ samābhāti śaradīva niśākaraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Hỡi Mādhava, hãy nhìn—trên chiến địa, Vua Drupada, người đã bị Droṇa đánh ngã, nằm yên như đang ngủ, tựa chúa tể voi rừng bị sư tử lớn hạ sát. Và, hỡi bậc mắt như hoa sen, chiếc lọng trắng tinh khiết của vua xứ Pāñcāla tỏa sáng trên thân ông như vầng trăng mùa thu.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of worldly power: even a great king, marked by royal insignia like the white parasol, lies motionless on the battlefield. The poetic comparison (lion and elephant; autumn moon) heightens the ethical reflection on war’s cost and the impermanence of status.
Vaiśampāyana points out Drupada’s body on the battlefield, noting he was slain by Droṇa. He describes Drupada as appearing asleep and draws attention to Drupada’s spotless white parasol shining above him like the autumn moon.
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