Shloka 103
Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)
यस्य बाहुबलं प्राप्प न भवन्त्यसुहृदूगणा: । वहाँ देखती हुई स्त्रियोंने उन्हें वज्रपाणि इन्द्रके समान समझा और आपसमें वे इस प्रकार बातें करने लगीं--“सखियो! देखो तो सही, ये ही वे पुरुषसिंह महाराज दुष्यन्त हैं, जो संग्रामभूमिमें वसुओंके समान पराक्रम दिखाते हैं, जिनके बाहुबलमें पड़कर शत्रुओंका अस्तित्व मिट जाता है”
yasya bāhubalaṃ prāpya na bhavanty asuhṛd-gaṇāḥ | tatra dṛṣṭvā striyo vajrapāṇim indram iva taṃ mene | parasparaṃ caivam ūcuḥ— “sakhyaḥ paśyata, eṣa eva puruṣasiṃho mahārājo duṣyantaḥ, yaḥ saṃgrāmabhūmau vasūnām iva parākramaṃ darśayati, yasya bāhubale patitānāṃ śatrūṇām astitvaṃ praṇaśyati” ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Melihatnya di sana, para perempuan mengira ia laksana Indra sang pemegang wajra, lalu mereka berbisik satu sama lain: “Sahabat-sahabatku, lihatlah—dialah singa di antara manusia, Raja Duṣyanta. Di medan perang ia menampakkan kegagahan seperti para Vasu; dan bila musuh jatuh dalam jangkauan kekuatan lengannya, lenyaplah pijakan keberadaan mereka.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical ideal of kṣatriya kingship: a ruler’s legitimacy is reinforced by visible courage and the protection of order, so that hostile forces cannot endure when confronted by rightful strength. It also shows how public perception and praise shape a king’s fame (kīrti).
Vaiśampāyana narrates that women who see King Duṣyanta are struck by his heroic presence and compare him to Indra. They identify him as the famed warrior-king whose arm-strength annihilates enemies on the battlefield, praising his prowess in excited conversation.