Shloka 53
Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)
शीतं वातं समासाद्य श्रान्तो मदविमोहित: । विषेण च परीताड़्रो निश्रैष्ट: पाण्डुनन्दन:
śītaṃ vātaṃ samāsādya śrānto madavimohitaḥ | viṣeṇa ca parītāḍro niśraiṣṭaḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Putera Pāṇḍu itu, keletihan dan pancainderanya diselubungi kebingungan akibat mabuk racun, setelah menemui hembusan angin sejuk, pun berbaring. Bisa itu merebak ke seluruh anggota tubuhnya, sehingga dia tampak seolah-olah benar-benar kaku dan tidak bernyawa.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of embodied strength: even a powerful hero can be incapacitated by unseen danger like poison. Ethically, it points to the need for vigilance, care for companions, and awareness that harm may come through covert means rather than open confrontation.
Bhīma, the son of Pāṇḍu, is exhausted and mentally clouded due to poison. Reaching a cool breeze, he lies down and becomes still; the venom’s effect spreads through his body so that he appears inert, setting up the crisis that follows in the poisoning episode.