Shloka 57
Bhīmasena–Hanūmān Saṃvāda: The Tail Test and the Divine Path
तानौदकान् पक्षिगणान् निरीक्ष्य भरतर्षभ: । तानेवानुसरन् रम्यं ददर्श सुमहत् सर:,भरतश्रेष्ठ भीमने यह देखकर कि ये तो जलके पक्षी हैं, उन्हींके पीछे चलने लगे और आगे जानेपर एक अत्यन्त रमणीय विशाल सरोवर देखा
tān audakān pakṣigaṇān nirīkṣya bharatarṣabhaḥ | tān evānusaran ramyaṃ dadarśa sumahat saraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing that those were water-birds, the bull among the Bharatas followed them; and as he went on, he beheld a vast lake—exceedingly beautiful—revealed ahead. The episode underscores practical discernment: by observing nature and following reliable signs, one is led from uncertainty toward sustenance and safety.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment and practical intelligence: careful observation of natural indicators (water-birds) can guide one toward life-sustaining resources, suggesting that wise action often begins with attentive perception rather than haste.
The narrator describes how the Bharata hero (understood as Bhīma in this context) notices that the birds are aquatic and follows them, eventually coming upon a very large and beautiful lake.