Shloka 13
Bhīṣma’s Admonition; Duryodhana’s Rājasūya Aspiration and the Proposal of a Vaiṣṇava-satra
मत्तभ्रमरजुष्टानि बर्हिणाभिरुतानि च । अगच्छदानुपूर्व्येण पुण्यं द्वैतववनं सर:
mattabhramarajuṣṭāni barhiṇābhirutāni ca | agacchadānupūrvyena puṇyaṃ dvaitavavanaṃ saraḥ, bharatanandana |
Vaiśampāyana dijo: Avanzando paso a paso, oh alegría de los Bhāratas, llegó al lago supremamente sagrado del Dvaitavana. Los bosques y arboledas de allí bullían con el zumbido de abejas embriagadas, y el dulce clamor de los pavos reales resonaba por doquier. En ese ámbito de abundancia y deleite, Duryodhana—gozando de manjares y comodidades con sus compañeros—se entregó a contemplar la hermosura del bosque, en un contraste silencioso entre la indulgencia mundana y la santidad del lugar.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes a holy landscape (puṇya-saras in Dvaitavana) with a ruler’s enjoyment of sensual pleasures, hinting at an ethical tension: indulgence and pride can blind one to the sanctity of place and the restraint expected of kings, especially when approaching spaces associated with merit and spiritual power.
Vaiśampāyana describes the party’s gradual approach to the sacred lake in Dvaitavana. The forest is depicted as vibrant and beautiful—filled with humming bees and calling peacocks—setting the scene for Duryodhana’s arrival and his pleasure-seeking gaze upon the woods and groves.