Shloka 6
अथ मत्स्यो5ब्रवीत् कड्कं॑ देवरूपमिव स्थितम् । मरुद्गणैरुपासीन त्रिदशानामिवेश्वरम्,वहाँ प्रज॒जलित अग्नियोंके समान तेजस्वी श्रीसम्पन्न पाण्डवोंको देखकर पृथ्वीपति विराटने दो घड़ीतक मन-ही-मन कुछ विचार किया। फिर वे कुपित होकर देवताके समान स्थित मरुदगणोंसे घिरे हुए देवराज इन्द्रके तुल्य सुशोभित कंकसे बोले--
atha matsyo 'bravīt kaṅkaṃ devarūpam iva sthitam | marudgaṇair upāsīnaṃ tridaśānām iveśvaram ||
അപ്പോൾ മത്സ്യരാജൻ (വിരാടൻ) ദേവരൂപംപോലെ നിലകൊണ്ട, മരുത്ഗണങ്ങൾ സേവിച്ച, ത്രിദശങ്ങളുടെ അധിപനെപ്പോലെ തോന്നിയ കങ്കനോട് പറഞ്ഞു।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension in governance: a ruler should deliberate carefully, yet strong emotions—especially anger—can quickly overtake judgment. The divine comparisons also remind the listener that true nobility and restraint can appear 'godlike,' and that one should respond to extraordinary virtue with discernment rather than rashness.
Virāṭa (the Matsya king) sees the Pāṇḍavas’ blazing splendor and, after a brief inner reflection, becomes angry and addresses Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira in disguise). The narrator frames Kaṅka’s presence with grand imagery—like Indra among the Maruts—emphasizing the concealed greatness of the Pāṇḍavas even while they live incognito.