Shloka 48
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
अधस्तात् तस्य छायायां सुखासीनो नराधिप: । मधुगन्धैश्न संयुक्त पुष्पगन्धथमनोहरम्,राजा उसी वृक्षके नीचे उसकी छायामें सुखपूर्वक बैठ गये। वह वृक्ष मकरन्द और सुगन्धसे भरा था। फूलोंकी गन्धसे वह बरबस मनको मोह लेता था
adhastāt tasya chāyāyāṁ sukhāsīno narādhipaḥ | madhugandhaiś ca saṁyuktaṁ puṣpagandhaṁ manoharam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Beneath that tree, in its shade, the king sat down at ease. The place was suffused with the sweet scent of honey and the fragrance of blossoms—so alluring that it irresistibly drew the mind.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pleasant surroundings—shade, comfort, and fragrance—can captivate the mind. In an epic context, it subtly reminds that rulers (and all people) must remain mindful: sensory pleasure can soothe and distract, so inner alertness and self-governance are needed even amid beauty.
The narrator describes a king resting beneath a tree. He sits comfortably in its shade, and the tree’s honey-like and floral fragrances create an enchanting atmosphere, setting a calm scene within the unfolding story.