Shloka 45
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
कोकिलाकुलसंनादं मत्तभ्रमरनादितम् । वसन्तकाले तत् तस्य वन चैत्ररथोपमम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kokilākulasaṃnādaṃ mattabhramaranāditam | vasantakāle tat tasya vana caitrarathopamam ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Pada musim bunga, rimba milik baginda tampak bagaikan taman Caitraratha yang termasyhur—bergema dengan paduan suara kawanan burung kokila dan dipenuhi dengung lebah yang mabuk madu. Pemandangan ini menandai detik keindahan yang membawa tuah dan menghidupkan jiwa dalam aliran kisah epik, ketika keharmonian alam menjadi kontras etika yang sunyi terhadap pertikaian manusia yang kelak kian memuncak.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights harmony in nature—order, beauty, and seasonal renewal—serving as an ethical counterpoint to human agitation. Such passages in the Mahābhārata often remind the listener that dharma is aligned with balance and restraint, even when the human world moves toward conflict.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana describes a forest in spring, likening it to the renowned Caitraratha grove. The forest is alive with cuckoo calls and the humming of bees, establishing a vivid setting and mood of flourishing abundance.