Shloka 203
पाण्डवपरिचयः—विराटसभायां प्रकाशनम्
Identification of the Pāṇḍavas in Virāṭa’s Court
शान्तिं परां प्राप्प यदा स्थितो भू- रुत्सृज्य बाणांश्व धनुर्विचित्रम् । “पितामह! यह आपके हाथसे कैसे बच गया? आप इसे इस प्रकार मथ डालिये
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śāntiṃ parāṃ prāpya yadā sthito bhūr utsṛjya bāṇāṃś ca dhanur vicitram |
Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Ketika dia tenggelam dalam ketenangan yang amat mendalam, terbaring tidak sedarkan diri di tanah setelah mencampakkan anak panah dan busurnya yang menakjubkan, Bhīṣma putera Śantanu tertawa lalu berkata kepada Duryodhana: “Wahai raja! Ketika engkau meninggalkan busur dan anak panahmu yang gemilang lalu terbaring di sini dalam kebingungan yang pekat, di manakah pertimbanganmu—dan di manakah keberanianmu?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage stresses accountability and self-mastery: a leader should not fault others for consequences that arise from his own negligence, loss of discernment, or failure to uphold vigilance and courage in a crisis.
Bhīṣma responds to Duryodhana’s complaint about an enemy escaping. He points out that Duryodhana himself had earlier dropped his bow and arrows and lay senseless, implying that the escape occurred because Duryodhana was incapacitated and inattentive.