Shloka 41
कर्णनिधनवृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् | Reporting Karṇa’s Fall to Yudhiṣṭhira
वह बूढ़े माता-पिता तथा अन्य आश्रित जनोंका पालन-पोषण किया करता था। सदा अपने धर्ममें लगा रहता, सत्य बोलता और किसीकी निन्दा नहीं करता था ।।
sa kadācin mṛgaṁ lipsur nābhyavindan mṛgaṁ kvacit | apaḥ pibantaṁ dadarśa śvāpadaṁ prāṇacakṣuṣam ||
Dia memelihara ibu bapa yang tua serta orang lain yang bergantung padanya. Sentiasa tekun pada dharma, berkata benar dan tidak mencela sesiapa. Pada suatu hari, dia masuk ke hutan untuk mendapatkan buruan, namun tidak menemui seekor pun. Lalu dia terlihat seekor binatang buas sedang minum air—buta, dan seolah-olah menjadikan hembusan nafas serta deria bau sebagai ‘mata’nya.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse situates action (seeking game for livelihood) within an ethical portrait: one may face harsh necessities, yet the ideal person remains grounded in dharma—supporting dependents, speaking truth, and refraining from disparaging others. It also hints that outward weakness (blindness) does not remove danger, urging discernment and restraint.
A man goes into the forest to find an animal to kill but finds none. He then notices a wild predator at the water’s edge; it is blind and navigates by breath/smell, described as ‘having breath as its eyes’ (prāṇacakṣuṣam).