Shloka 6
Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)
एवमुकत्वा ततो राजन्नूषीन् सर्वान् प्रतापवान्,क्रोधेन महता5<विष्टो धर्मात्मा वै प्रतापवान् | वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! ब्राह्मणत्वकी प्राप्ति करानेवाले उस तीर्थसे प्रस्थित होकर यदुनन्दन बलरामजी “अवाकीर्ण' तीर्थमें गये, जहाँ आश्रममें रहते हुए महातपस्वी धर्मात्मा एवं प्रतापी दलभपुत्र बकने महान् क्रोधमें भरकर घोर तपस्याद्वारा अपने शरीरको सुखाते हुए विचित्रवीर्यकुमार राजा धृतराष्ट्रके राष्ट्रका होम कर दिया था
evam uktvā tataḥ rājan ṛṣīn sarvān pratāpavān | krodhena mahatāviṣṭo dharmātmā vai pratāpavān ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, having spoken thus, that mighty and radiant one then addressed all the sages. Overcome by intense anger—though righteous at heart and formidable in power—he spoke and acted under the force of that great wrath.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension central to the Mahābhārata: even a dharmic and powerful person can be seized by anger. It implicitly points to the ethical need for mastery over krodha, since wrath can distort judgment and lead to harmful outcomes.
Vaiśampāyana continues the narration to King Janamejaya, describing how a mighty, righteous figure—now overwhelmed by great anger—turns to address all the assembled sages, setting up the consequences that follow from this emotional surge.