Shloka 8
रावणोत्पत्तिः—तपसा वरलाभश्च
Rāvaṇa’s Origins and the Acquisition of Boons
तान् वेपमानान् वित्रस्तान् बीजमात्रावशेषितान् | मृगान् दृष्टवा सुदुःखार्तो धर्मराजो युधिषिर:,वे सिंह-बाघ आदि पशु त्रस्त होकर थर-थर काँप रहे थे और बीजमात्र ही शेष रह गये थे। उनकी यह दयनीय दशा देखकर धर्मराज युधिष्छिर अत्यन्त दुःखसे व्याकुल हो गये
tān vepamānān vitrastān bījamātrāvaśeṣitān | mṛgān dṛṣṭvā suduḥkhārto dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Nang makita ni Haring Yudhiṣṭhira, ang matatag sa dharma, ang mga hayop sa gubat na yaon—nanginginig sa takot, lubos na nagugulantang, at halos nalalabi na lamang—siya’y nilamon ng matinding dalamhati. Ang kanilang kaawa-awang kalagayan ay gumising sa kanyang habag at budhi.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A dharmic ruler is defined not only by power but by moral perception: the ability to feel and respond to the suffering of helpless beings. Yudhiṣṭhira’s grief signals compassion as an essential component of righteous conduct.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira sees deer (and, by context, other forest creatures) trembling in terror and reduced to a scant remnant. Witnessing their miserable state, he becomes intensely distressed.