Shloka 20
Dvaītavana: Brahmaghoṣa, Rṣi-saṅgha, and Baka Dālbhyā’s Upadeśa to Yudhiṣṭhira
अदुःखाहनि् मनुष्येन्द्र नोपशाम्यति मे मन: । भीमसेनमिमं चापि दु:खितं वनवासिनम्,सुखाई दु:खितं दृष्टवा कस्मान्मन्युर्न वर्धते । नरेन्द्र! आपके भाई दुःख भोगनेके योग्य नहीं हैं; आज इन्हें दुःखमें देखकर मेरा चित्त किसी प्रकार शान्त नहीं हो पाता है। महाराज! वनमें रहकर दुःख भोगते हुए इन अपने भाई भीमसेनका स्मरण करके समय आनेपर क्या शत्रुओंके प्रति आपका क्रोध नहीं बढ़ेगा? मैं पूछती हूँ--युद्धसे कभी पीछे न हटनेवाले और सुख भोगनेके योग्य भीमसेनको स्वयं अपने हाथोंसे सब काम करते और दुःख उठाते देखकर शत्रुओंपर आपका क्रोध क्यों नहीं भड़क उठता?
aduhkhāhani manuṣyendra nopaśāmyati me manaḥ | bhīmasenam imaṃ cāpi duḥkhitaṃ vanavāsinam | sukhārhaṃ duḥkhitaṃ dṛṣṭvā kasmān manyur na vardhate ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O lord of men, my mind finds no peace on this day of sorrow. Seeing Bhīmasena too—fit for comfort—now distressed and dwelling in the forest, how does your wrath not increase? When you remember this brother of yours, enduring hardship in exile, will not your anger against the enemies surge when the time comes? I ask you: seeing Bhīma, who never retreats from battle and deserves to live in ease, forced to do every task with his own hands and to bear suffering—why does your fury against those foes not blaze up?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between forbearance and the kṣatriya obligation to uphold justice: witnessing undeserved suffering of the righteous (Bhīma in exile) naturally kindles manyu—righteous indignation—directed toward restoring dharma when the proper time arrives.
The speaker laments the Pandavas’ forest exile and points to Bhīma—normally suited to comfort and heroic action—now forced into hardship. Addressing the king (Yudhiṣṭhira), the speaker questions why his anger against the enemies responsible for this injustice does not intensify, especially as the moment for confrontation approaches.