Shloka 10
Śakuntalā’s Satya-Discourse and the Recognition of Bharata (शकुन्तला–सत्योपदेशः; भरतप्रतिग्रहः)
पश्यन्तः स्त्रीगणास्तत्र वज्रपाणिं सम मेनिरे । अयं स पुरुषव्यात्रो रणे वसुपराक्रम:
paśyantaḥ strīgaṇās tatra vajrapāṇiṃ sama menire | ayaṃ sa puruṣavyāghro raṇe vasuparākramaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Ketika mereka memandang, para wanita yang berkumpul di sana menyangka dia bagaikan Vajrapāṇi (Indra, pemegang vajra). “Inilah harimau di antara manusia,” fikir mereka—yang keperkasaannya di medan perang segagah para Vasu—lalu terserlah rasa takjub terhadap kekuatan wira dan cita-cita kepahlawanan yang diraikan dalam epik.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how heroic reputation is formed through public perception: valor in battle is praised as an ideal, and extraordinary human strength is measured against divine archetypes (Indra, the Vasus), reinforcing the epic’s cultural ethic of kṣātra-tejas (martial excellence).
Women onlookers observe a renowned warrior and, struck by his appearance and prowess, liken him to Indra (Vajrapāṇi) and acclaim him as a ‘tiger among men’ whose battlefield might matches that of the Vasus.