Shloka 29
Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)
भक्षयन्ति सम मांसानि प्रकुट्य विधिवत् तदा । तत्र केचिद् गजा मत्ता बलिन: शस्त्रविक्षता:
bhakṣayanti sama māṃsāni prakuṭya vidhivat tadā | tatra kecid gajā mattā balinaḥ śastravikṣatāḥ |
বৈশম্পায়নে ক’লে—তেতিয়া সেই অৰণ্যত কিছুমানে নিজৰ ৰূঢ় নিয়ম-ৰীতি অনুসৰি মাংস সাজি ভক্ষণ কৰিবলৈ ধৰিলে। তাত কিছুমান বলৱান, মদোন্মত্ত হাতী অস্ত্ৰাঘাতত ক্ষত-বিক্ষত হৈ শুঁড় গুটাই ভয়ত দ্ৰুত পলাই গ’ল।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how hunger and weapon-driven violence can erode restraint and compassion, turning the forest into a space where fear and cruelty dominate—an implicit warning about adharma arising from uncontrolled appetite and aggression.
A chaotic forest scene is described: people consume meat prepared in their manner, while strong, rut-maddened elephants, badly wounded by weapons, recoil in fear and run away, showing the destructive impact of hunting/armed conflict on living beings.