Shloka 21
मैत्रेयागमनम् — The Arrival of Maitreya and the Admonition to Duryodhana
काममूर्तिधर: क्रूर: कालकल्पो व्यदृश्यत । तमुवाच ततो राजा दीर्घप्रज्ञो युधिष्ठिर:
kāmamūrtidharaḥ krūraḥ kālakalpo vyadṛśyata | tam uvāca tato rājā dīrghaprajño yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Он явился как жестокое существо, принимающее по желанию любой облик, — словно сам Кала, Время, в своём разрушительном лике. Тогда царь Юдхиштхира, славный дальновидной мудростью, обратился к нему, встречая миг рассуждением, а не страхом.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when confronted by a terrifying, seemingly unstoppable force—likened to Kāla (Time/Death)—the dharmic response is not panic but clear-sighted speech and inquiry. Yudhiṣṭhira’s 'dīrghaprajñā' signals ethical steadiness: meeting threat with discernment, restraint, and purposeful dialogue.
A fearsome, shape-shifting figure appears, described as cruel and Time-like in power. In response, Yudhiṣṭhira, characterized as a wise king, begins to address the figure—setting up a dialogue where composure and judgment are tested under pressure.