Shloka 40
Kaurava Court Hears of the Pāṇḍavas’ Forest Hardship (वैचित्रवीर्यवंशीयस्य राज्ञः करुणाविचारः)
अप्रमत्तस्य देवस्य न च पश्यत्यनिन्दिता | सातं ज्ञात्वा यथावत् तु वह्नि वनमुपागतम्,तत्त्वतः कामसंतप्तं चिन्तयामास भाविनी । परंतु अग्निदेवके सदा सावधान रहनेके कारण साध्वी स्वाहा उनका कोई दोष नहीं देख पाती थी। जब उसे अच्छी तरह मालूम हो गया कि अग्नि कामसंतप्त होकर वनमें चले गये हैं, तब उसने मन-ही-मन इस प्रकार विचार किया
apramattasya devasya na ca paśyaty aninditā | sā taṁ jñātvā yathāvat tu vahniṁ vanam upāgatam, tattvataḥ kāma-saṁtaptam cintayāmāsa bhāvinī |
Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: Die tadellose Frau vermochte keinen Makel an dem stets wachsamen Gott zu erkennen. Als sie jedoch klar erfuhr, dass Agni in den Wald gegangen war, wahrhaft vom Begehren versengt, begann die besonnene Frau in sich zu erwägen.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when confronted with another’s inner turmoil, a virtuous person avoids rash blame, seeks the truth of the situation, and responds through thoughtful reflection guided by dharma.
Mārkaṇḍeya describes how Svāhā, unable to find any fault in Agni’s conduct, nonetheless realizes that Agni has gone into the forest, afflicted by desire, and she begins to deliberate internally about what this means and what should be done.