Shloka 27
Cavana’s Tests of Kuśika and the Queen (अध्याय ५३: च्यवन–कुशिक-परिक्षा)
जालके साथ नदीमेंसे निकाले गये महर्षि च्यवन इत्युक्तास्ते निषादास्तु सुभुशं॑ भयकम्पिता: । सर्वे विवर्णवदना नहुषाय न्यवेदयन्
jālakena sārdhaṁ nadīmadhyān niṣkālitā maharṣiś cyavana iti uktās te niṣādās tu subhṛśaṁ bhayakampitāḥ | sarve vivarṇavadanā nahuṣāya nyavedayan ||
Disse Bhishma: Quando os nishadas foram informados de que o grande sábio, retirado do rio juntamente com a rede, era Cyavana, foram tomados por um medo intensíssimo. Tremendo violentamente, com o rosto desbotado, foram de imediato ao rei Nahusha e relataram todo o ocorrido. O episódio ressalta o peso moral de ferir o inocente e o pavor que surge quando se percebe ter ofendido um asceta venerável.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of inadvertently harming a venerable sage: once the Nishadas realize the person they dragged out is Maharshi Cyavana, fear and remorse arise, and they seek proper authority (the king) to report and address the wrongdoing—implying accountability and reverence toward ascetics as a pillar of dharma.
Fishermen (Nishadas) pull someone from the river along with a net; when they learn he is the great sage Cyavana, they panic, tremble, turn pale, and immediately go to King Nahusha to report the incident in full.