Shloka 18
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Remorse and Vyāsa’s Teaching on Impermanence (Śoka-nivāraṇa)
सत्यकज्चुकमुन्मुच्य मया स गुरुराहवे । अश्वत्थामा हत इति निरुक्त: कुञ्जरे हते
satyakacukam unmucya mayā sa gurur āhave | aśvatthāmā hata iti niruktaḥ kuñjare hate ||
我抛却了“真实之衣”，在战阵之中对我的师长说道：“阿湿婆他摩已被杀。”——所指乃是那头名为阿湿婆他摩的大象已被击毙。因这句话，导师误以为其子已死；他的道德确信由此动摇，显露出以含混之辞求胜所付出的沉重伦理代价。
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how even a technically defensible statement can violate dharma when it is intended to mislead. ‘Casting off the coat of truth’ signals a conscious departure from integrity, showing that moral responsibility lies not only in literal wording but also in intention and foreseeable impact.
In the battle context, Yudhiṣṭhira reports ‘Aśvatthāmā is slain’ after the elephant named Aśvatthāmā has been killed. The statement is framed so that Droṇa, thinking it refers to his son Aśvatthāmā, believes his son is dead—an event that undermines his resolve and affects the course of the war.