Vyāsa’s Boon-Offer and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse in the Forest Assembly (आश्रमवासिक पर्व, अध्याय ३६)
ततः स नृपतिर्दूष्टवा वह्निमायान्तमन्तिकात्
tataḥ sa nṛpatir dṛṣṭvā vahnim āyāntam antikāt
そのとき王は、火が間近に迫るのを見て、事の重大な転機を悟り、身を引き締めた——過去の業の報いと時の不可避が、強大なる者にさえ迫り来る不吉な瞬間であった。
नारद उवाच
Even royal power cannot stand against the approach of inevitable forces—time, consequence, and mortality. The verse underscores vigilance and humility: when the results of prior actions draw near, one must face them with clarity rather than denial.
Nārada narrates that the king notices fire coming close. This signals an imminent crisis or transformative event, setting up the next actions and reactions in the Ashramavāsika narrative context.