Shloka 45
उपेतं नलिनीजालै: सिन्धुवारै: सवेतसै: । केतकै: करवीरैश्नव पिप्पलैश्वैव संवृतम् । (ततो धर्मसुतः श्रीमान् भ्रातृदर्शनलालस: ।) श्रमार्तस्तदुपागम्य सरो दृष्टवाथ विस्मित:,उस सरोवरका जल कमलकी बेलोंसे आच्छादित हो रहा था और उसके चारों किनारोंपर सिंदुवार, बेंत, केवड़े, करवीर तथा पीपलके वृक्ष उसे घेरे हुए थे। उस समय भाइयोंसे मिलनेके लिये उत्सुक श्रीमान् धर्मनन्दन युधिष्ठिर थकावटसे पीड़ित हो उस सरोवरपर आये और वहाँकी अवस्था देखकर बड़े विस्मित हुए
upetaṁ nalinījālaiḥ sindhuvārāḥ savetasaiḥ | ketakaiḥ karavīraiś ca pippalaiś caiva saṁvṛtam || (tato dharmasutaḥ śrīmān bhrātṛdarśanalālasaḥ | śramārtaḥ tad upāgamya saro dṛṣṭvātha vismitaḥ ||)
The lake was overgrown with clusters of lotus-creepers, and all around it stood sindhuvāra shrubs, willows, ketaka plants, karavīra trees, and pippala trees, enclosing it on every side. Then the illustrious son of Dharma, Yudhiṣṭhira—eager to find his brothers—came there worn out by fatigue; and on seeing that lake and its uncanny stillness, he was struck with wonder.
यक्ष उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse prepares the ethical stage for the Yakṣa episode: appearances can be alluring, but dharma requires alertness, self-control, and thoughtful inquiry before acting—especially when one is tired, anxious, or emotionally driven.
Yudhiṣṭhira, exhausted and longing to find his brothers, reaches a beautifully enclosed lake thick with lotus growth and surrounded by various trees and shrubs. He is surprised by what he sees, a narrative cue that this place is extraordinary and will soon become the site of a decisive encounter with the Yakṣa.