Shloka 22
Kāmyake Arjuna-viyogaḥ — The Pandavas’ despondency in Kāmyaka during Arjuna’s absence
तब महातपस्वी मुनिने महात्मा पाण्डुनन्दनको द्यूतविद्याका रहस्य बताया और उन्हें अश्वविद्याका भी उपदेश देकर वे स्नान आदि करनेके लिये चले गये ।। बृहदश्ने गते पार्थमश्रौषीत् सव्यसाचिनम् | वर्तमान तपस्युग्रे वायुभक्षं मनीषिणम्,बृहदश्व मुनिके चले जानेपर दृढव्रती राजा युधिष्ठिरने इधर-उधरके तीर्थों, पर्वतों और वनोंसे आये हुए तपस्वी ब्राह्मणोंके मुखसे सव्यसाची अर्जुनका यह समाचार सुना कि “मनीषी अर्जुन वायुका आहार करके कठोर तपस्यामें लगे हैं। महाबाहु कुन्तीकुमार बड़ी दुष्कर तपस्यामें स्थित हैं। ऐसा कठोर तपस्वी आजसे पहले दूसरा कोई नहीं देखा गया है
tataḥ mahātapāsvī muninā mahātmā pāṇḍunandanaḥ dyūtavidyāyā rahasyaṃ kathitaḥ, tam aśvavidyām api upadiśya sa munir snānādikāya jagāma. bṛhadaśve gate pārtham aśrauṣīt savyasācinam vartamānaṃ tapasyāyām ugre vāyubhakṣaṃ manīṣiṇam.
Then the great ascetic sage instructed the noble son of Pāṇḍu in the hidden principles of the science of dice, and also taught him the lore of horses; having done so, the sage departed to perform his bathing and other rites. After Bṛhadaśva had gone, the steadfast king Yudhiṣṭhira heard from ascetic brāhmaṇas—arriving from various sacred fords, mountains, and forests—news about Savyasācin Arjuna: that the wise hero was sustaining himself on air alone and was engaged in severe austerities. They declared that the mighty-armed son of Kuntī was undertaking an exceptionally difficult penance, such as none had been seen before.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two forces: the dangerous allure of gambling (dyūta) and the restorative power of disciplined self-restraint (tapas). Knowledge and skill must be governed by dharma; when one has fallen into error, steadfast vows, austerity, and purposeful effort become the ethical path to regain inner strength and rightful capacity.
After teaching Yudhiṣṭhira the inner principles of dice-play and also horse-lore, the sage Bṛhadaśva departs. Yudhiṣṭhira then hears from visiting ascetic brāhmaṇas that Arjuna is engaged in extremely severe austerities, living on air alone, and that his penance is extraordinary.