Shloka 25
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 181 — Svayaṃvara Aftermath: Arjuna–Karna Exchange and Bhīma–Śalya Contest
न हि सस्मार स नृपस्तं शापं काममोहितः । देव्या: सो5थ वच:ः श्रुत्वा सम्भ्रान्तो नृपसत्तम:,राजा कल्माषपाद कामसे मोहित हो रहे थे। इसलिये उन्हें शापका स्मरण नहीं रहा। महारानी मदयन्तीकी बात सुनकर वे नृपश्रेष्ठ बड़े सम्भ्रम (घबराहट)-में पड़ गये
na hi sasmāra sa nṛpas taṁ śāpaṁ kāmamohitaḥ | devyāḥ so 'tha vacaḥ śrutvā sambhrānto nṛpasattamaḥ ||
For the king, deluded by desire, did not recall that curse. But when he heard the queen’s words, the best of kings became greatly agitated and confused—suddenly confronted with the moral and fateful consequence he had forgotten.
गन्धर्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire can cloud memory and judgment, causing one to forget even grave moral constraints; when truth is recalled—often through the counsel of a virtuous person—one is forced to face the ethical consequences of prior actions.
The king, overcome by desire, has forgotten a curse affecting him. When the queen speaks and he hears her words, he becomes alarmed and confused, realizing the serious implication of what he had neglected to remember.