Shloka 25
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 98 — Paraśurāma’s kṣatriya suppression; Dīrghatamas, Bali, Sudēṣṇā, and the birth of Aṅga
स राजा शानन््तनुर्धीमान् देवराजसमप्युति: । बभूव मृगयाशील: शान्तनुर्वनगोचर:,बुद्धिमान् राजा शान्तनु देवराज इन्द्रके समान तेजस्वी थे। वे हिंसक पशुओंको मारनेके उद्देश्यसे वनमें घूमते रहते थे
sa rājā śāntanur dhīmān devarājasamapadyutiḥ | babhūva mṛgayāśīlaḥ śāntanur vanagocaraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: That wise king Śāntanu, radiant like the king of the gods, became devoted to the hunt and would roam through the forests. The verse frames his royal vigor and splendor alongside a pursuit that involves violence toward animals, setting an ethical tension between kingly prowess and the moral weight of taking life for sport or habit.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes royal brilliance and wisdom with the habit of hunting, inviting reflection on how power and personal inclinations should be guided by dharma—especially regarding violence and restraint.
Vaiśampāyana describes King Śāntanu as exceptionally radiant and wise, yet strongly inclined to hunting, frequently roaming the forest—an introduction that prepares for subsequent events connected with his forest wanderings.