Shloka 426
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
सर्वेषामेव राजेन्द्र न कश्चित् प्रतिभानवान् । राजेन्द्र! उस समय भूखसे पीड़ित होकर इधर-उधर दौड़नेवाले सभी महर्षि वेद भूल गये थे। कोई भी ऐसा प्रतिभाशाली नहीं था, जिसे वेदोंका स्मरण रह गया हो
sarveṣām eva rājendra na kaścit pratibhānavān |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai raja, dalam kalangan mereka semua tidak ada seorang pun yang berakal jernih dan terilham. Diseksa kelaparan dan berlari ke sana sini dalam kesengsaraan, para maharesi itu bahkan telah melupakan Veda; tiada seorang pun yang masih mampu mengingati ilmu suci itu.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores human vulnerability: extreme bodily distress such as hunger can overwhelm even great spiritual practitioners, clouding intellect and disrupting the recollection of sacred knowledge. It cautions against judging others harshly and highlights the ethical need to relieve suffering so that dharma and learning can be sustained.
Vaiśampāyana describes a situation in which those present—identified in the accompanying narrative as great seers—are afflicted by hunger and confusion. In that state, none shows the clarity of mind (pratibhā) needed to remember or recite the Vedas.