Shloka 40
ऋतुपर्णस्य विदर्भयात्रा-निश्चयः तथा बाहुकस्य हयपरिक्षा (Ṛtuparṇa’s resolve to go to Vidarbha and Bāhuka’s examination of horses)
एवमन्यच्च वक्तव्यं कृपां कुर्याद् यथा मयि । वायुना धूयमानो हि वनं दहति पावक:ः,'ब्राह्मणो! ये तथा और भी बहुत-सी ऐसी बातें आप कहें, जिससे वे मुझपर कृपा करें। वायुकी सहायतासे प्रज्वलित आग सारे वनको जला डालती है (इसी प्रकार विरहकी व्याकुलता मुझे जला रही है)
evam anyac ca vaktavyaṃ kṛpāṃ kuryād yathā mayi | vāyunā dhūyamāno hi vanaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ ||
“At magsabi pa kayo ng marami pang gayong pananalita, upang siya’y mahabag sa akin. Sapagkat ang apoy, kapag pinasiklab ng hangin, sinusunog ang buong gubat—gayon din ang aking dalamhati, pinalala ng pagkawalay, na patuloy na tumutupok sa akin.”
युदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how suffering can intensify when fueled by external forces—like fire fanned by wind—and it frames compassionate response as an ethical necessity, urging speech that moves another toward mercy.
Yudhiṣṭhira asks a brāhmaṇa to convey further persuasive words to someone whose favor he seeks, hoping to awaken compassion; he illustrates his inner torment through the image of wind-driven fire consuming a forest.