Shloka 26
दमयन्त्याः अरण्यविहारः — Damayantī’s Passage through the Wilderness
उद्वेजते मे हृदयं सीदन्त्यड्रानि सर्वश:ः । तव पार्थिव संकल्पं चिन्तयन्त्या: पुन: पुन:
udvejate me hṛdayaṃ sīdanty aṅgāni sarvaśaḥ | tava pārthiva saṅkalpaṃ cintayantyāḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||
My heart is shaken with dread, and all my limbs grow faint. O king, as I reflect again and again on your resolve, I am overcome with anxiety.
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
A grave resolve—especially a royal decision with ethical consequences—should be weighed carefully, because even well-wishers may foresee danger and moral risk; repeated reflection can reveal the seriousness of one’s intention and its potential fallout.
Bṛhadaśva speaks to a king, confessing that his heart trembles and his body weakens as he repeatedly contemplates the king’s determined plan, indicating foreboding and urging caution through emotional and moral alarm.