Shloka 5
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 29 — Suśarmā’s Counsel and the Coordinated Goharaṇa Plan
तस्मात् सत्रं प्रविष्टेषु पाण्डवेषु महात्मसु । गूढभावेषु छन्नेषु काले चोदयमागते,“अतः इस समय जब कि महात्मा पाण्डव छटद्ववेष धारण करके (अर्थात् वेष बदलकर) गुप्तरूपसे छिपे हुए हैं और अज्ञातवासकी जो नियत अवधि थी, वह प्राय: समाप्त हो चली है, स्वराष्ट्र और परराष्ट्रमें अपनी कितनी शक्ति है--इसे समझ लेना चाहिये। इसमें संदेह नहीं कि उपयुक्त समय आते ही पाण्डव प्रकट हो जायँगे
tasmāt satraṁ praviṣṭeṣu pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu | gūḍhabhāveṣu channeṣu kāle codayam āgate ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Therefore, now that the great-souled Pāṇḍavas have entered their period of concealment—disguised and hidden in intent—and the appointed time is drawing to its close, one should assess the strength of one’s own realm and that of rival realms. There is no doubt that when the proper moment arrives, the Pāṇḍavas will reveal themselves.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes timely prudence in governance: when circumstances are nearing a turning point, a ruler should realistically assess strengths—one’s own and an opponent’s—because decisive events will unfold when the proper time arrives.
The Pāṇḍavas are living in disguise during their final required period of concealment. As that term approaches its end, the narration underscores that their reappearance is imminent and that political actors should prepare by evaluating power and readiness.