Shloka 12
खाण्डवदाहोत्तर-वरप्रदानम्
Boons after the Khāṇḍava Burning
ते शराचितसर्वाड्रा निनदन्तो महारवान् | ऊर्ध्वमुत्पत्य वेगेन निपेतु: खाण्डवे पुन:,पहले तो पक्षी बड़े वेगसे ऊपरको उड़ते, परंतु बाणोंसे सारा अंग छिद जानेपर जोर- जोरसे आर्तनाद करते हुए पुनः खाण्डववनमें ही गिर पड़ते थे
te śarācita-sarvāṅgā ninadanto mahāravān | ūrdhvam utpatya vegena nipetuḥ khāṇḍave punaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Jene Vögel, deren Körper völlig von Pfeilen durchbohrt waren, stießen schreckliche, laute Schreie aus. Obwohl sie mit großer Geschwindigkeit nach oben auffuhren, fielen sie doch wieder in den Khāṇḍava-Wald zurück.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the inescapability of consequences once violence and destruction are unleashed: even beings that try to escape are brought down by the force of events, highlighting the pervasive suffering that accompanies large-scale conflict.
During the Khāṇḍava episode, birds attempt to fly upward to flee, but their bodies are pierced by arrows; crying loudly in pain, they fall back into the forest again.