Shloka 22
तदनन्तर वहाँ प्रकट हुई अत्यन्त भयानक राक्षसी मायाको देख शक्तिशाली धौम्य मुनिने अच्छी तरह प्रयोगमें लाये हुए राक्षसविनाशक विविध मन्त्रोंद्वारा पाण्डवोंके देखते- देखते उस मायाका नाश कर दिया। माया नष्ट होते ही वह अत्यन्त बलवान् एवं इच्छानुसार रूप धारण करनेवाला क्रूर राक्षस क्रोधसे आँखें फाड़-फाड़कर देखता हुआ कालके समान दिखायी देने लगा। उस समय परम बुद्धिमान् राजा युधिष्ठिरने उससे पूछा-- || १९-- २१ || को भवान् कस्य वा किं ते क्रियतां कार्यमुच्यताम् । प्रत्युवाचाथ तद् रक्षो धर्मराजं युधिष्ठिरम्,“तुम कौन हो, किसके पुत्र हो अथवा तुम्हारा कौन-सा कार्य सम्पादन किया जाय? यह सब बताओ।' तब उस राक्षसने धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरसे कहा--
tadanantaraṁ tatra prakaṭāṁ jātaṁ atyanta-bhayānakāṁ rākṣasīṁ māyāṁ dṛṣṭvā śaktimān dhaumyo muniḥ suprayuktaiḥ rākṣasa-vināśakaiḥ vividhaiḥ mantrebhiḥ pāṇḍavānāṁ paśyatāṁ paśyatāṁ tasyā māyāyā nāśaṁ cakāra | māyāyāṁ naṣṭāyāṁ sa atyanta-balavān icchānurūpa-rūpa-dhārī krūraḥ rākṣasaḥ krodhāt netre sphārayann iva kāla-sadṛśo babhūva | tadā parama-buddhimān rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ tam apṛcchat— ko bhavān? kasya vā? kiṁ te? kriyatāṁ kāryam ucyatām | atha tat rākṣaḥ dharma-rājaṁ yudhiṣṭhiram pratyuvāca—
Soon after, a terrifying demonic illusion manifested there. Seeing it, the powerful sage Dhaumya—using a range of well-applied, demon-destroying mantras—destroyed that illusion before the very eyes of the Pāṇḍavas. When the illusion was dispelled, the exceedingly strong and cruel rākṣasa, able to assume forms at will, glared in fury with eyes wide, appearing like Death itself. Then the supremely wise King Yudhiṣṭhira addressed him: “Who are you? Whose son are you? What do you seek—what task should be done for you? Speak.” Thereupon the rākṣasa replied to Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid fear and supernatural threat, dharmic leadership responds with clarity and restraint: the sage neutralizes harm through disciplined spiritual means, and the king addresses the adversary through orderly inquiry rather than panic or cruelty—seeking identity and intention before action.
A dreadful rākṣasa-created illusion appears. Sage Dhaumya destroys it with protective mantras in front of the Pāṇḍavas. The rākṣasa then reveals his terrifying presence, and Yudhiṣṭhira calmly questions him about who he is and what he wants, prompting the rākṣasa’s reply.