Shloka 20
Adhyāya 22: Śālva’s Weapon-Shower, Dāruka’s Wounding, and the Māyā-Report of Vasudeva’s Father
ततः पर्वतभारार्त्तान् मन्दप्राणविचेष्टितान् । हयान् संदृश्य मां सूत: प्राह तात्कालिकं वच:,तब प्रस्तरखण्डोंके भारसे पीड़ित तथा धीरे-धीरे प्राणसाध्य चेष्टा करनेवाले घोड़ोंको देखकर सारथिने मुझसे यह समयोचित बात कही--
tataḥ parvatabhārārttān mandaprāṇaviceṣṭitān | hayān saṃdṛśya māṃ sūtaḥ prāha tāt-kālikaṃ vacaḥ ||
Entonces, al ver a los caballos —aplastados por el peso de los grandes peñascos y jadeando con aliento débil— el auriga me habló con palabras apropiadas para aquel instante apremiante.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights timely, situation-appropriate speech and action (tāt-kālika vacaḥ) grounded in compassion—especially when witnessing suffering and imminent danger to living beings.
Vāyudeva narrates that a charioteer, seeing the horses weakened and distressed under the weight of rocky boulders, speaks to him with urgent, fitting counsel for that moment.