Shloka 26

Adhyāya 73: Damayantī’s Investigation of Bāhuka

Keśinī’s Observations

Devanagari script

राजापि च स्मयन्‌ भीमो मनसा समचिन्तयन्‌ । अधिकं योजनशतं तस्यागमनकारणम्‌,यह सुनकर राजा भीम भी मुसकरा दिये और मन-ही-मन सोचने लगे--'ये बहुत-से गाँवोंको लाँधकर सौ योजनसे भी अधिक दूर चले आये हैं, किंतु कार्य इन्होंने बहुत साधारण बतलाया है। फिर इनके आगमनका क्‍या कारण है, इसे मैं ठीक-ठीक न जान सका

Transliteration

rājāpi ca smayan bhīmo manasā samacintayan | adhikaṃ yojanaśataṃ tasyāgamanakāraṇam ||

Translation

Disse Bṛhadaśva: O rei Bhīma também, sorrindo, refletiu consigo: “Vieram de mais de cem yojanas de distância, atravessando muitas aldeias; e, no entanto, descrevem seu propósito como algo pequeno e comum. Qual será, então, a verdadeira razão de sua vinda? Não consegui discerni-la com clareza.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'rājā', 'definition': 'king'}, {'term': 'api', 'definition': 'also, even'}, {'term': 'smayan', 'definition': 'smiling (present participle of √smi)'}, {'term': 'bhīmaḥ', 'definition': 'Bhīma (proper name)'}, {'term': 'manasā', 'definition': 'in the mind, mentally (instrumental of manas)'}, {'term': 'samacintayan', 'definition': 'reflecting, considering carefully (from sam-√cint)'}, {'term': 'adhikam', 'definition': 'more, exceeding'}, {'term': 'yojanaśatam', 'definition': 'a hundred yojanas (a very great distance)'}, {'term': 'tasya', 'definition': 'of him/of that (genitive)'}, {'term': 'āgamanakāraṇam', 'definition': 'cause/reason for coming

Speaker

बृहदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhadaśva
• Bhīma
• rājā (king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights discernment: outwardly simple explanations may conceal deeper motives, so a thoughtful person reflects carefully before forming a judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bṛhadaśva narrates that Bhīma, acting as a king, smiles and privately reasons that the visitors’ long journey does not match their stated trivial purpose, so he suspects an undisclosed cause.