Shloka 5
श्रीमतः पाण्डवान् दृष्टवा ज्वलत: पावकानिव । मुहूर्तमिव च ध्यात्वा सरोष: पृथिवीपति:,वहाँ प्रज॒जलित अग्नियोंके समान तेजस्वी श्रीसम्पन्न पाण्डवोंको देखकर पृथ्वीपति विराटने दो घड़ीतक मन-ही-मन कुछ विचार किया। फिर वे कुपित होकर देवताके समान स्थित मरुदगणोंसे घिरे हुए देवराज इन्द्रके तुल्य सुशोभित कंकसे बोले--
śrīmataḥ pāṇḍavān dṛṣṭvā jvalataḥ pāvakān iva | muhūrtam iva ca dhyātvā saroṣaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ |
Melihat para Pāṇḍava yang mulia, berkilau laksana api menyala, Raja Virāṭa sejenak merenung dalam hati; lalu amarahnya bangkit, dan ia berbicara kepada Kaṅka yang tampak cemerlang bagaikan Indra di tengah rombongan Marut.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension central to dharma in governance: a ruler must pause to reflect (dhyātvā) before acting, yet strong emotion (saroṣaḥ) can quickly overtake judgment when confronted with extraordinary power (tejas). It implicitly values deliberation, while also showing how perception of threat can provoke reactive speech and decisions.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Virāṭa sees the Pāṇḍavas shining fiercely like flames. He thinks for a brief moment and then becomes angry, preparing to speak—setting up a charged exchange that follows, driven by Virāṭa’s reaction to their formidable presence.