Shloka 426
सर्वेषामेव राजेन्द्र न कश्चित् प्रतिभानवान् । राजेन्द्र! उस समय भूखसे पीड़ित होकर इधर-उधर दौड़नेवाले सभी महर्षि वेद भूल गये थे। कोई भी ऐसा प्रतिभाशाली नहीं था, जिसे वेदोंका स्मरण रह गया हो
sarveṣām eva rājendra na kaścit pratibhānavān |
Vaiśampāyana said: “O king, among them all there was not a single person of clear, inspired intellect. Stricken by hunger and running about in distress, those great seers had even forgotten the Vedas; none retained the power to recall the sacred learning.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores human vulnerability: extreme bodily distress such as hunger can overwhelm even great spiritual practitioners, clouding intellect and disrupting the recollection of sacred knowledge. It cautions against judging others harshly and highlights the ethical need to relieve suffering so that dharma and learning can be sustained.
Vaiśampāyana describes a situation in which those present—identified in the accompanying narrative as great seers—are afflicted by hunger and confusion. In that state, none shows the clarity of mind (pratibhā) needed to remember or recite the Vedas.