Shloka 4
Kaurava Court Hears of the Pāṇḍavas’ Forest Hardship (वैचित्रवीर्यवंशीयस्य राज्ञः करुणाविचारः)
पाकशासन! महान् असुर केशी प्रतिदिन यहाँ आकर हम दोनोंको हर ले जानेके लिये फुसलाया करता था। दैत्यसेना इसे चाहती थी, परंतु मेरा इसपर प्रेम नहीं था ।। सा ह्तानेन भगवन मुक्ताहं त्वद्धलेन तु । त्वया देवेन्द्र निर्दिष्ट पतिमिच्छामि दुर्जयम्,अतः दैत्यसेनाको तो यह हर ले गया, परंतु मैं आपके पराक्रमसे बच गयी। भगवन्! देवेन्द्र! अब मैं आपके आदेशके अनुसार किसी दुर्जय वीरको अपना पति बनाना चाहती हूँ
pākaśāsana! mahān asuraḥ keśī pratidinam ihāgatya asmān ubhau hartum upāyena pralobhayati sma. daityasenā etad aicchat, kintu mama tasmin prema nābhavat. sā hatena bhagavan muktāhaṃ tvadbalena tu; tvayā devendra nirdiṣṭaṃ patim icchāmi durjayam; ataḥ daityasenāṃ tu eṣa haritavān, parantu ahaṃ tava parākramāt rakṣitā. bhagavan! devendra! idānīṃ tava ādeśānusāreṇa durjayaṃ vīraṃ patiṃ kartum icchāmi.
O Pākaśāsana (Indra)! Ang makapangyarihang asura na si Keśī ay dumarating dito araw-araw, gumagamit ng mga pakana upang kami’y mahikayat at tangkaing dukutin kaming dalawa. Ninais ito ng hanay ng mga Daitya, ngunit wala akong pag-ibig sa kanya. Nang siya’y mapatay, ako’y napalaya sa pamamagitan ng iyong lakas. Kaya, O pinagpalang Devendra, ayon sa asawang itinuro mo, nais kong piliin bilang kabiyak ang isang bayani na mahirap daigin. Nadala niya si Daityasenā, ngunit ako’y iniligtas ng iyong kagitingan; kaya humihingi ako ng marapat at di-madaling mapanaig na asawa, gaya ng iyong ipinag-utos.
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes protection through righteous power and the ethical ideal that a life-partner should be chosen for proven virtue and strength (durjaya), not through coercion or deceit. It also highlights gratitude and adherence to a rightful directive (ādeśa) from a legitimate authority (Devendra).
A speaker addresses Indra, recounting how the asura Keśī repeatedly tried to lure and abduct them. After Keśī is slain, the speaker is freed by Indra’s might. She notes that the Daitya host was carried off, while she was saved, and she now seeks to marry an unconquerable hero in accordance with Indra’s instruction.