Shloka 18
Adhyāya 57: Tapas–Dāna Phala
On the Fruits of Austerity and Giving
किंचेदं महदाश्चर्य सम्पश्यामीत्यचिन्तयत् । एवं संचिन्तयन्नेव ददर्श मुनिपुंगवम्
kiñcedaṁ mahad āścaryaṁ sampaśyāmīty acintayat | evaṁ sañcintayann eva dadarśa munipuṅgavam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Quel est donc ce grand prodige que je vois ?»—et il s’en fit la réflexion. Tandis qu’il poursuivait ainsi sa méditation, le regard du roi se posa sur un sage éminent, le plus illustre parmi les ascètes.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Astonishment should mature into thoughtful inquiry; when one reflects rather than reacts, one becomes fit to receive instruction from the wise. The appearance of the ‘munipuṅgava’ signals that true clarification of a moral or mysterious situation comes through contact with realized sages.
The king, seeing something extraordinary, repeatedly wonders what it is. As he continues reflecting, he notices an eminent sage—introducing the next narrative movement where the sage’s presence will explain or resolve the marvel.