Shloka 20
Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
कथं दीनस्य सततं त्वामासाद्य रहोगताम् | त॑ विचिन्तयत:ः शापं प्रहर्ष. समजायत
kathaṁ dīnasya satataṁ tvām āsādya rahogatām | taṁ vicintayataḥ śāpaṁ praharṣaḥ samajāyata |
وہ تو اُس شاپ کا خیال کرتے ہوئے ہمیشہ پژمردہ اور افسردہ رہتا تھا؛ پھر تنہائی میں تمہیں پا کر اس کے دل میں خواہش سے پیدا ہونے والی خوشی کیسے جاگ اٹھی؟
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical-psychological tension: a mind weighed down by remorse or fear of a curse is ordinarily joyless, yet desire can abruptly override sorrow and produce exhilaration. It implicitly warns that kāma (desire) can cloud judgment even under grave moral pressure.
Vaiśampāyana questions the plausibility and motive of a man’s sudden delight: although he was constantly dejected while contemplating a curse, upon encountering a woman alone in seclusion he experiences praharṣa (a thrill of joy), suggesting desire-driven excitement despite his ongoing distress.