Shloka 2
Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
(पूर्णे चतुर्दशे वर्षे फाल्गुनस्य च धीमत: । तदा उत्तरफन्गुन्यां प्रवृत्ते स्वस्तिवाचने ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
(pūrṇe caturdaśe varṣe phālgunasya ca dhīmataḥ | tadā uttaraphalgunyāṃ pravṛtte svastivācane ||
rakṣaṇe vismṛtā kuntī vyagrā brāhmaṇabhojane | purohitena sahitā brāhmaṇān paryaveṣayat ||
tasmin kāle samāhūya mādrīṃ madanamohitaḥ |) supuṣpitavane kāle kadācin madhumādhave |
bhūtasammohane rājā sabhāryo vyacarad vanam |
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。――賢きパールグナ（アルジュナ）の十四年が満ち、ウッタラ・パールグニーの星宿のもとで吉祥の祝詞（スヴァスティ・ヴァーチャナ）が唱え始められたとき、クンティは婆羅門たちへの饗応に心を奪われ、パーンドゥ王を守る務めを忘れてしまった。家の祭司とともに、彼女は自ら婆羅門たちに給仕した。まさにその折、欲に惑わされたパーンドゥはマードリーを呼び、彼女を伴って出て行った。春の盛り、森は花々に満ち、香りは生きとし生けるものの心を酔わせるほどであった。王は妃とともに林間をさまよい歩いた。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes two duties and two impulses: Kuntī’s dharmic hospitality to brāhmaṇas and her momentary lapse in guarding Pāṇḍu, while Pāṇḍu, overcome by desire, seeks private pleasure. It highlights how even righteous acts can create vulnerability when other responsibilities are neglected, and how kāma can cloud judgment and lead toward grave consequences.
On Arjuna’s fourteenth-year completion, auspicious rites are performed under Uttaraphalgunī. Kuntī becomes fully occupied serving brāhmaṇas with the priest. In that interval, Pāṇḍu—desire-struck—calls Mādrī and roams with her in a springtime forest that is vividly described as enchanting to all beings, setting the stage for the ensuing pivotal incident in the Pāṇḍu narrative.