कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
ततः कदाचित् पश्यामि तस्मिन् सलिलसंचये । न्यग्रोधं सुमहान्तं वै विशालं पृथिवीपते,राजन्! तदनन्तर एक दिन एकार्णवकी उस अगाध जलराशिमें मैंने एक बहुत विशाल बरगदका वृक्ष देखा
tataḥ kadācit paśyāmi tasmin salilasaṃcaye | nyagrodhaṃ sumahāntaṃ vai viśālaṃ pṛthivīpate, rājan |
แล้วกาลหนึ่ง ข้าแต่พระราชาผู้เป็นเจ้าปฐพี เมื่อข้าพเจ้ามองลงไปในหมู่น้ำอันไพศาลนั้น ก็ได้เห็นต้นไทรใหญ่ยิ่ง แผ่กิ่งก้านกว้างขวางอยู่ ณ ที่นั้น
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse primarily sets a scene of awe and vastness: even amid an immeasurable expanse of water, a single enduring symbol (the banyan) stands out. In Mahābhārata’s narrative style, such imagery often prepares the listener for a significant revelation, reminding a king that power and human affairs are framed within a larger, wondrous cosmos.
Vaiśaṃpāyana, speaking to a king, recounts that he once beheld a huge, expansive banyan tree situated within a great accumulation of waters. The line functions as descriptive narration, introducing a striking object seen in an otherwise overwhelming watery expanse.