Shloka 18
कपोती-विलापः स्वर्गसंयोगश्च
The Dove’s Lament and Celestial Reunion
ततः कदाचित् तस्याथ वनस्थस्य समन्ततः । पातयन्निव वक्षांस्तान् सुमहान् वातसम्भ्रम:
tataḥ kadācit tasyātha vanasthasya samantataḥ | pātayann iva vakṣāṁs tān sumahān vātasambhramaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Kemudian, pada suatu ketika, ketika dia tinggal di rimba, bangkitlah di segenap penjuru suatu gelora angin yang amat dahsyat. Seolah-olah deru udara yang garang itu sedang menumbangkan batang-batang pohon di sekeliling, menekan belantara dengan kekuatan yang tiba-tiba dan mengatasi segalanya.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames nature’s sudden violence as a test of steadiness: one established in dharma—especially in a forest/ascetic setting—must endure upheavals without losing composure or purpose.
A person living in the forest is suddenly surrounded by a powerful wind-storm; the gusts seem to topple the trees, setting a dramatic scene for what follows.