Shloka 20
छत्रोपानहदानफलप्रशंसा — Praise of the Merit of Donating Umbrella and Footwear
भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठि!! ऐसा कहकर महर्षि जमदग्निने अपने दिव्य धनुषकी प्रत्यंचा खींची और बहुत-से बाण हाथमें लेकर सूर्यकी ओर मुँह करके वे खड़े हो गये। जिस दिशाकी ओर सूर्य जा रहे थे, उसी ओर उन्होंने भी अपना मुँह कर लिया था ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira! iti uktvā maharṣiḥ jamadagniḥ svaṃ divyaṃ dhanuḥ pratyāñcāṃ ākarṣya bahūn bāṇān pāṇau gṛhītvā sūryaṃ prati mukhaṃ kṛtvā tasthau. yasyāṃ diśi sūryo gacchati tasyāṃ diśi sa api mukhaṃ kṛtavān. atha taṃ prekṣya sannaddhaṃ sūryo ’bhyetya tathābravīt—dvijarūpeṇa, kaunteya, kiṃ te sūryo ’parādhyate?
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Yudhishthira! Setelah berkata demikian, resi agung Jamadagni menarik tali busur ilahinya, menggenggam banyak anak panah, lalu berdiri menghadap Sang Surya. Ke arah yang sama dengan perjalanan Surya itulah ia pun memalingkan wajahnya. Melihatnya telah bersenjata dan siap, Surya mendekat dan berkata demikian: ‘Wahai putra Kunti, dalam samaran seorang brahmana—kesalahan apakah yang telah diperbuat Surya kepadamu?’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even cosmic powers are approached through the lens of dharma: before conflict, one must clarify the alleged offense and the moral grounds for action. The Sun’s question frames accountability and restraint—force should not be used without just cause.
Jamadagni, after making a declaration, arms himself with a divine bow and arrows and stands facing the Sun’s path. The Sun then approaches and questions him (addressing Yudhishthira as ‘Kaunteya’ in the narration), asking what offense the Sun has committed against him.