Shloka 29
उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas
तथा प्रतिभये तस्मिन् देवदानवसंकुले । खाण्डवे युध्यमानस्य क: सहायस्तदाभवत्
tathā pratibhaye tasmin devadānavasaṅkule | khāṇḍave yudhyamānasya kaḥ sahāyas tadābhavat ||
И в том страшном смятении — когда лес Кхандава был полон богов и данавов, — пока я сражался, кто был тогда моим союзником?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
In moments of extreme danger and moral pressure, the decisive factor is reliable support—true allies and steadfast aid—rather than mere numbers or spectacle. The verse frames a reflective question that highlights the ethical weight of loyalty and assistance amid conflict.
The narration recalls a terrifying battle in the Khāṇḍava forest, crowded with devas and dānavas. The speaker, describing himself as fighting against opponents, asks rhetorically who served as his helper at that critical time, setting up identification of the ally and emphasizing the intensity of the episode.