Shloka 4
रावणोत्पत्तिः—तपसा वरलाभश्च
Rāvaṇa’s Origins and the Acquisition of Boons
एवमुक्ता: पाण्डवेन कौन्तेयेन यशस्विना । प्रत्यब्रुवन् मृगास्तत्र हतशेषा युधिष्ठिरम्,यशस्वी पाण्डव कुन्तीनन्दन युधिष्ठिरके इस प्रकार पूछनेपर मरनेसे बचे हुए हिंसक पशुओंने उनसे कहा--
evam uktāḥ pāṇḍavena kaunteyena yaśasvinā | pratyabruvan mṛgās tatra hataśeṣā yudhiṣṭhiram ||
Disse Vaiśampāyana: Assim interpeladas pelo ilustre filho de Kuntī entre os Pāṇḍavas, as feras ali—as que haviam sobrevivido ao morticínio—responderam a Yudhiṣṭhira. A cena marca um momento moral: mesmo após a violência, a pergunta do rei convoca uma resposta que toca a reta conduta e a contenção.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up an ethical reflection: after violence has occurred, the righteous ruler still seeks dialogue and understanding. It hints that dharma involves accountability and listening—even to the vulnerable survivors—before deciding what is right to do next.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira (addressing the creatures in the forest) has spoken to them, and the surviving beasts respond to him. This line functions as a transition into their reply and the moral implications that follow.