Shloka 29
उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas
तथा प्रतिभये तस्मिन् देवदानवसंकुले । खाण्डवे युध्यमानस्य क: सहायस्तदाभवत्,“खाण्डववनमें देवताओं और दानवोंसे परिपूर्ण भयंकर युद्धमें जब मैं अपने प्रतिपक्षियोंके साथ युद्ध कर रहा था, उस समय मेरा कौन सहायक था?
tathā pratibhaye tasmin devadānavasaṅkule | khāṇḍave yudhyamānasya kaḥ sahāyas tadābhavat ||
And in that dreadful turmoil—when the Khāṇḍava forest had become crowded with gods and dānavas—while I was engaged in battle, who, at that time, was my ally?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In moments of extreme danger and moral pressure, the decisive factor is reliable support—true allies and steadfast aid—rather than mere numbers or spectacle. The verse frames a reflective question that highlights the ethical weight of loyalty and assistance amid conflict.
The narration recalls a terrifying battle in the Khāṇḍava forest, crowded with devas and dānavas. The speaker, describing himself as fighting against opponents, asks rhetorically who served as his helper at that critical time, setting up identification of the ally and emphasizing the intensity of the episode.