Shloka 21
मैत्रेयागमनम् — The Arrival of Maitreya and the Admonition to Duryodhana
काममूर्तिधर: क्रूर: कालकल्पो व्यदृश्यत । तमुवाच ततो राजा दीर्घप्रज्ञो युधिष्ठिर:
kāmamūrtidharaḥ krūraḥ kālakalpo vyadṛśyata | tam uvāca tato rājā dīrghaprajño yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Er erschien als grausames Wesen, das nach Belieben jede Gestalt annehmen konnte—gleich Kāla, der Zeit selbst, in ihrer vernichtenden Erscheinung. Da redete König Yudhiṣṭhira, berühmt für weitreichende Weisheit, ihn an und suchte die Stunde mit Urteilskraft statt mit Furcht zu bestehen.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when confronted by a terrifying, seemingly unstoppable force—likened to Kāla (Time/Death)—the dharmic response is not panic but clear-sighted speech and inquiry. Yudhiṣṭhira’s 'dīrghaprajñā' signals ethical steadiness: meeting threat with discernment, restraint, and purposeful dialogue.
A fearsome, shape-shifting figure appears, described as cruel and Time-like in power. In response, Yudhiṣṭhira, characterized as a wise king, begins to address the figure—setting up a dialogue where composure and judgment are tested under pressure.