Shloka 20
अथाब्रवीत् स विजयं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । भ्रातरी ते चिरगतौ बीभत्सो शत्रुकर्शन,तदनन्तर कुन्तीकुमार युधिष्ठिरने अर्जुनसे कहा--“शत्रुनाशन बीभत्सो! तुम्हारे दोनों भाइयोंको गये बहुत देर हो गयी
athābravīt sa vijayaṃ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | bhrātarī te ciragatau bībhatsō śatrukarśana ||
Then Kuntī’s son Yudhiṣṭhira spoke to Vijaya (Arjuna): “O Bībhatsu, subduer of foes—your two brothers have been gone a long time.” In the ethical frame of the Yakṣa episode, the line conveys Yudhiṣṭhira’s alert concern for his brothers’ welfare and his sense of responsibility, even while facing a mysterious, testing presence.
यक्ष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic leadership: Yudhiṣṭhira remains attentive to the safety and timely return of his brothers, showing responsible care for dependents even amid uncertainty and impending moral testing.
In the Yakṣa episode context, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Arjuna (called Vijaya/Bībhatsu), noting that two of Arjuna’s brothers have been absent for a long time—an anxious observation that sets up the unfolding crisis around the missing brothers.