Shloka 38
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
चन्द्रमा विमल॑ व्योम यथाभ्युदिततारकम् । विकीर्याग्निं तथा भूतमुत्थितं श्रूयते तदा
candramā vimalaṃ vyoma yathābhyuditatārakam | vikīryāgniṃ tathā bhūtam utthitaṃ śrūyate tadā ||
ভীষ্ম বললেন—যেমন নক্ষত্র উদিত হলে নির্মল আকাশে চন্দ্র ওঠে, তেমনি সেই মুহূর্তে সেখানে যজ্ঞমণ্ডপে অগ্নিকে চারদিকে ছড়িয়ে দিয়ে এক ভয়ংকর ভূত-সত্তা উঠেছিল—এমনই শোনা যায়। এই ভয়াবহ ঘটনা আমি ঋষিদের মুখে শুনেছি।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how ritual space and moral order (dharma) are portrayed as sensitive to disturbance: a sacrificial setting, meant for auspicious order, becomes the stage for a fearful manifestation. It also signals the Mahābhārata’s reliance on transmitted testimony—‘it is said/heard’—to frame extraordinary events within respected tradition.
Bhīṣma describes (as heard from sages) a terrifying incident: in a sacrificial arena, a dreadful spirit-being arises after scattering the sacred fire. The emergence is likened to the moon appearing in a clear sky once the stars are visible, emphasizing sudden, striking visibility.