Shloka 22
अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः
The Commencement of the Great Departure
ततः प्ररुरुदु: सर्वा: स्त्रियों दृष्टवा नरोत्तमान्
tataḥ praruruduḥ sarvāḥ striyo dṛṣṭvā narottamān | pūrvaṃ dyūte parāstāḥ pāṇḍavā yathā vanaṃ gatāḥ tathā tasmin divase draupadyā saha tān narottamān pāṇḍavān evaṃ gacchataḥ paśyantyo nagarasya sarvāḥ striyo ruroduḥ | kintu teṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ asyā yātrāyāṃ mahān harṣaḥ abhavat ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：随后，见到那些人中至杰，城中妇女尽皆痛哭失声。正如从前般度伽之局败北后，般度五子入林而去；那一日亦复如是——她们看见那些高贵的般度五子携德罗帕蒂同样离城而行，便放声哀泣。然而对那几位兄弟而言，此行却带来深沉的欢喜：因为这标志着他们有意背离世间王权，转入最后的出离之道。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts public grief with the protagonists’ inner clarity: society mourns the loss of its protectors, while the Pāṇḍavas rejoice in choosing the dharmic culmination—letting go of power and embracing the final journey. It highlights impermanence and the ethical ideal of detachment after fulfilling one’s duties.
As the Pāṇḍavas depart the city on their great final journey, accompanied by Draupadī, the city’s women cry upon seeing them leave. The scene is explicitly likened to the earlier departure to the forest after the dice-game defeat, but now the brothers themselves feel great joy in this purposeful departure.