Shloka 27
Cavana’s Tests of Kuśika and the Queen (अध्याय ५३: च्यवन–कुशिक-परिक्षा)
जालके साथ नदीमेंसे निकाले गये महर्षि च्यवन इत्युक्तास्ते निषादास्तु सुभुशं॑ भयकम्पिता: । सर्वे विवर्णवदना नहुषाय न्यवेदयन्
jālakena sārdhaṁ nadīmadhyān niṣkālitā maharṣiś cyavana iti uktās te niṣādās tu subhṛśaṁ bhayakampitāḥ | sarve vivarṇavadanā nahuṣāya nyavedayan ||
Dijo Bhishma: Cuando a los nishadas se les dijo que el gran sabio sacado del río junto con la red era Cyavana, un temor intensísimo se apoderó de ellos. Temblando con violencia, con el rostro descolorido, acudieron de inmediato ante el rey Nahusha y le informaron de todo lo sucedido. Este episodio subraya el peso moral de dañar al inocente y el pavor que nace cuando uno comprende que ha ofendido a un asceta venerable.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of inadvertently harming a venerable sage: once the Nishadas realize the person they dragged out is Maharshi Cyavana, fear and remorse arise, and they seek proper authority (the king) to report and address the wrongdoing—implying accountability and reverence toward ascetics as a pillar of dharma.
Fishermen (Nishadas) pull someone from the river along with a net; when they learn he is the great sage Cyavana, they panic, tremble, turn pale, and immediately go to King Nahusha to report the incident in full.