Shloka 15
पाण्डवानां वनप्रस्थानवर्णनम् / The Pāṇḍavas’ Departure for the Forest
Vidura’s Report and Portents
क़ुद्धस्प तस्य सर्वेभ्य: स्रोतोभ्य: पावकर्चिष: । वृक्षस्येव विनिश्चेरु: कोटरेभ्य: प्रदह्यत:
kuddhas tu tasya sarvebhyaḥ srotobhyaḥ pāvakārcīṣaḥ | vṛkṣasyeva viniśceruḥ koṭarebhyaḥ pradahyataḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: In his fury, sparks of fire seemed to burst forth from all the channels of Bhīmasena’s body, as flames leap out from the hollows of a tree while it is burning. The verse underscores how unchecked wrath can turn a righteous protector into a force of destruction, foreshadowing violent consequences within the court’s moral collapse.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a vivid simile to warn that anger, even in a strong and otherwise dharmic hero, can become consuming and dangerous—like fire spreading from within—thereby threatening discernment and ethical restraint.
In the Sabha (royal assembly) setting, Bhīmasena is portrayed as seething with rage; the poet describes his fury as if sparks are erupting from his body, comparable to flames shooting from the hollows of a burning tree, heightening the tension and hinting at impending retaliation.