Shloka 131
Keśinī’s Inquiry to Bāhuka and the Emotional Signs of Concealed Identity (केशिन्याः बाहुकपरीक्षा)
प्रचिनुह्मास्य शाखे द्वे याश्चाप्यन्या: प्रशाखिका: । आशभ्यां फलसहसे द्वे पज्चोनं शतमेव च
Bṛhadaśva uvāca | pracinuḥmāsya śākhe dve yāścāpyanyāḥ praśākhikāḥ | āśābhyāṃ phalasahase dve pañconam śatam eva ca ||
Bṛhadaśva berkata: “Marilah kita kumpulkan dua dahan utamanya, dan juga segala dahan cabang yang lain. Daripada dua dahan ini, kita boleh berharap memperoleh dua ribu ikatan buah, dan juga seratus kurang lima.”
बृहदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights practical discernment and planning: assessing available resources (branches and offshoots) and estimating yield (fruit) before acting. It reflects a grounded, ethical prudence—providing and preparing through careful calculation rather than impulse.
Bṛhadaśva speaks about collecting two main branches and additional offshoot branches of a tree, expressing an expectation of a very large fruit yield. The line functions as a logistical instruction and estimate within the ongoing forest narrative of the Vana Parva.