Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
पलाशैस्तिलकैश्षूतैश्वम्पकैः पारिभद्रकै: । अन्यैश्न बहुभिव॑क्षे: फलपुष्पसमृद्धिभि:
palāśais tilakaiḥ śūtaiś campakaiḥ pāribhadrakaiḥ | anyaiś ca bahubhir vṛkṣaiḥ phala-puṣpa-samṛddhibhiḥ ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ປ່ານັ້ນປະດັບດ້ວຍຕົ້ນປາລາຊະ, ຕິລະກະ, ມ່ວງ, ຈຳປາກະ, ແລະ ຕົ້ນໄມ້ຄ້າຍປາຣິຊາຕະ, ພ້ອມດ້ວຍຕົ້ນໄມ້ອື່ນໆອີກຫຼາຍ ທີ່ອຸດົມດ້ວຍໝາກແລະດອກ ເພີ່ມພູນຄວາມງາມໃຫ້ແກ່ປ່າ. ເມື່ອພະຣາຊາປານດຸເຫັນພົງໄພນັ້ນ—ມີຫ້ວຍນ້ຳຫຼາກຫຼາຍ ແລະ ສະຫຼອງບົວອັນງາມ—ໃຈຂອງພະອົງກໍຖືກກາມະກະຕຸ້ນໃຫ້ໄຫວວຽນຂຶ້ນ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights how sensory beauty can inflame desire, introducing an ethical challenge: a ruler must govern impulses with restraint (dama) and discernment (viveka), since unchecked kāma can lead to harmful consequences.
Vaiśampāyana describes a luxuriant forest filled with flowering and fruit-bearing trees, ponds, and lotuses. The scene’s beauty excites King Pāṇḍu’s desire, preparing the narrative for the ensuing events driven by that arousal.