Shloka 2
प्रावृट्-शरत्-वर्णनम् — Description of the Monsoon and Autumn; Sarasvatī in the Pāṇḍavas’ Exile
पौलस्त्यं धनदं युद्धे य आह्वयति दर्पित: नलिन्यां कदनं कृत्वा निहन्ता यक्षरक्षसाम्
paulastyaṃ dhanadaṃ yuddhe ya āhvayati darpitaḥ | nalinyāṃ kadanaṃ kṛtvā nihantā yakṣa-rakṣasām ||
Janamejaya dijo: «¿Cómo puedes describir a Bhīmasena—quien, henchido de orgullo por su fuerza, llegó a desafiar a Dhanada (Kubera), hijo de Pulastya, a combatir, y quien, tras sembrar la matanza junto al estanque de lotos, se convirtió en exterminador de Yakṣas y Rākṣasas—como alguien temeroso y abatido por la calamidad? Deseo oír este episodio con detalle, pues mi curiosidad es grande.»
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension between heroic prowess and the instability of pride: even one famed for defeating formidable beings can later be described as fearful or distressed, prompting reflection on how circumstances and inner states (like arrogance or vulnerability) affect conduct and reputation.
Janamejaya expresses astonishment that Bhīma—known for challenging Kubera and slaughtering Yakṣas and Rākṣasas at the lotus-pond—could be portrayed as frightened and afflicted. He asks to hear the full story in detail.