Shloka 203
पाण्डवपरिचयः—विराटसभायां प्रकाशनम्
Identification of the Pāṇḍavas in Virāṭa’s Court
शान्तिं परां प्राप्प यदा स्थितो भू- रुत्सृज्य बाणांश्व धनुर्विचित्रम् । “पितामह! यह आपके हाथसे कैसे बच गया? आप इसे इस प्रकार मथ डालिये
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śāntiṃ parāṃ prāpya yadā sthito bhūr utsṛjya bāṇāṃś ca dhanur vicitram |
Dijo Vaiśaṃpāyana: Cuando él se hundió en una calma profundísima, tendido sin sentido en el suelo tras arrojar sus flechas y su arco maravilloso, Bhīṣma, hijo de Śantanu, rió y dijo a Duryodhana: “¡Oh rey! Cuando abandonaste tu espléndido arco y tus flechas y yacías aquí, vencido por un hondo sopor, ¿dónde estaba entonces tu juicio—y dónde tu valor?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage stresses accountability and self-mastery: a leader should not fault others for consequences that arise from his own negligence, loss of discernment, or failure to uphold vigilance and courage in a crisis.
Bhīṣma responds to Duryodhana’s complaint about an enemy escaping. He points out that Duryodhana himself had earlier dropped his bow and arrows and lay senseless, implying that the escape occurred because Duryodhana was incapacitated and inattentive.