Shloka 23
मैत्रेयागमनम् — The Arrival of Maitreya and the Admonition to Duryodhana
अहं बकस्य वै भ्राता किर्मीर इति विश्रुत: । वने5स्मिन् काम्यके शून्ये निवसामि गतज्वर:,“मैं बकका भाई हूँ, मेरा नाम किर्मीर है, इस निर्जन काम्यकवनमें निवास करता हूँ। यहाँ मुझे किसी प्रकारकी चिन्ता नहीं है
ahaṃ bakasya vai bhrātā kirmīra iti viśrutaḥ | vane 'smin kāmyake śūnye nivasāmi gatajvaraḥ ||
I am indeed Baka’s brother, renowned by the name Kirmīra. I dwell in this lonely Kāmyaka forest, free from all anxiety and disturbance. (The speaker identifies himself and asserts his fearlessness and dominance in this desolate woodland setting.)
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how arrogance and intimidation are used to assert power in a lawless setting; it implicitly sets up the ethical contrast between predatory force (rakṣasa pride) and the disciplined courage and dharma of the protagonists who must respond without fear.
A rakṣasa introduces himself: he claims to be Baka’s brother, named Kirmīra, and declares that he lives in the deserted Kāmyaka forest without any worry—signaling his dominance and foreshadowing a confrontation in the forest during the exile context.