Shloka 42
बक-गौतमाख्यानम् / The Baka–Gautama Account
On Gratitude and Friendship Ethics
मुहुर्मुहुश्च भूतानि प्राव्यथन्त भयात् तथा । ततः स तुमुलं दृष्टवा तं च भूतमुपस्थितम्
muhurmuhuś ca bhūtāni prāvyathanta bhayāt tathā | tataḥ sa tumulaṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ ca bhūtam upasthitam |
Again and again the beings were shaken with fear. Then, seeing that dreadful tumult and that being standing before him, he took in the gravity of what had appeared.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can spread and unsettle all beings when an ominous or extraordinary event manifests; it sets up a reflective context in which steadiness and discernment become necessary for right action (dharma) amid disturbance.
Bhīṣma describes a scene where repeated waves of fear shake the surrounding beings; a violent tumult is perceived, and a particular 'bhūta' (a being/spirit/creature) is seen as having appeared and standing nearby, intensifying the moment.