Shloka 22
प्रावृट्-शरत्-वर्णनम् — Description of the Monsoon and Autumn; Sarasvatī in the Pāṇḍavas’ Exile
ततो भीमस्य शब्देन भीता: सर्पा गुहाशया:
tato bhīmasya śabdena bhītāḥ sarpā guhāśayāḥ |
Then, terrified by Bhīma’s thunderous cry, the serpents that dwelt in the caves fled in great haste. Bhīmasena, moving steadily onward, began to follow after them. Radiant like the foremost of the gods and mighty in strength, he soon came upon a colossal python—so dreadful that it made one’s hair stand on end—coiled around a vast cavern and residing in a hard-to-reach part of the mountain.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and courage are not ends in themselves; they often serve to reveal concealed threats and initiate a deeper moral test. Bhīma’s roar drives hidden serpents out, setting the stage for discernment and right action rather than impulsive aggression.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Bhīma’s loud cry frightens the cave-dwelling serpents, who flee quickly. Bhīma follows them and soon encounters a terrifying, enormous python occupying a cavern in a difficult mountain region.