Shloka 29
Śamī-vṛkṣe śastra-nidhāna and Entry into Virāṭa’s Capital (शमीवृक्षे शस्त्रनिधानम्)
तामुपारुह्म नकुलो धनूंषि निदधे स्वयम् । यानि तस्यावकाशानि दिव्यरूपाण्यमन्यत,तब नकुलने उस वृक्षपर चढ़कर उसके खोंखलोंमें वे धनुष आदि आयुध स्वयं अपने हाथसे रखे। उसके जो खोंखले थे, वे नकुलको दिव्यरूप जान पड़े
tām upāruhya nakulo dhanūṃṣi nidadhe svayam | yāni tasya avakāśāni divya-rūpāṇi amanyata ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setelah memanjat pokok itu, Nakula sendiri meletakkan busur serta senjata-senjata lain ke dalam rongga-rongganya. Rongga-rongga itu tampak pada Nakula sebagai sesuatu yang menakjubkan, hampir bersifat ketuhanan—layak untuk menyembunyikan senjata-senjata suci dengan selamat tanpa menodainya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prudent, dharma-aligned restraint: powerful instruments like weapons should be safeguarded and concealed when open display would invite harm or violate one’s obligations. Strength is guided by discretion and responsibility.
Nakula climbs a tree and personally stores bows and other weapons inside its hollows. He perceives the tree’s cavities as unusually suitable—almost ‘divine’—for securely hiding the arms during the Pāṇḍavas’ incognito period.