Shloka 22
Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)
ततः स नृपतिर्दूष्टवा वह्निमायान्तमन्तिकात्
tataḥ sa nṛpatir dṛṣṭvā vahnim āyāntam antikāt
Then the king, seeing the fire approaching close by, became alert to the grave turn of events—an ominous moment in which the consequences of past deeds and the inevitability of time press in upon even the mighty.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even royal power cannot stand against the approach of inevitable forces—time, consequence, and mortality. The verse underscores vigilance and humility: when the results of prior actions draw near, one must face them with clarity rather than denial.
Nārada narrates that the king notices fire coming close. This signals an imminent crisis or transformative event, setting up the next actions and reactions in the Ashramavāsika narrative context.