Shloka 13
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
ततो नदान् नदीश्रैव पल्वलानि वनानि च । अतिक्रम्याभ्यतिक्रम्य ससारैको वनेचर:,उधर वह वनमें विचरनेवाला मृग अकेला ही अनेकों नदों, नदियों, गड्ढों और जंगलोंको बारंबार लाँचता हुआ आगे-आगे भागता जा रहा था
tato nadān nadīś caiva palvalāni vanāni ca | atikramyābhyatikramya sasāraiko vane-caraḥ ||
Then that lone forest-roaming creature fled on and on, repeatedly crossing and recrossing streams and rivers, muddy pools, and stretches of woodland—driven forward by fear and urgency, with no companion to share its peril or counsel its course.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how fear and compulsion can drive a being into restless, repetitive motion—crossing obstacle after obstacle without stability. In Shanti Parva’s ethical frame, it hints at the suffering of a mind (or life) lacking refuge, guidance, or right orientation (dharma), where agitation replaces discernment.
Bhishma describes a lone forest creature fleeing through the wilderness. It repeatedly crosses streams, rivers, marshy pools, and forests, continuing to run forward—suggesting pursuit, danger, or panic as the immediate narrative situation.