Shloka 20
छत्रोपानहदानफलप्रशंसा — Praise of the Merit of Donating Umbrella and Footwear
भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठि!! ऐसा कहकर महर्षि जमदग्निने अपने दिव्य धनुषकी प्रत्यंचा खींची और बहुत-से बाण हाथमें लेकर सूर्यकी ओर मुँह करके वे खड़े हो गये। जिस दिशाकी ओर सूर्य जा रहे थे, उसी ओर उन्होंने भी अपना मुँह कर लिया था ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira! iti uktvā maharṣiḥ jamadagniḥ svaṃ divyaṃ dhanuḥ pratyāñcāṃ ākarṣya bahūn bāṇān pāṇau gṛhītvā sūryaṃ prati mukhaṃ kṛtvā tasthau. yasyāṃ diśi sūryo gacchati tasyāṃ diśi sa api mukhaṃ kṛtavān. atha taṃ prekṣya sannaddhaṃ sūryo ’bhyetya tathābravīt—dvijarūpeṇa, kaunteya, kiṃ te sūryo ’parādhyate?
Bhīṣma nói: “Hỡi Yudhiṣṭhira! Nói xong như vậy, đại hiền Jamadagni kéo căng dây cung thần, tay cầm nhiều mũi tên, đứng quay mặt về phía Mặt Trời. Mặt Trời đi về hướng nào, ông cũng xoay mình theo đúng hướng ấy. Thấy ông đã vũ trang sẵn sàng, Mặt Trời tiến lại và nói như sau: ‘Hỡi con của Kuntī—trong dáng hình một Bà-la-môn—Mặt Trời đã làm điều gì sai trái với ngươi?’”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even cosmic powers are approached through the lens of dharma: before conflict, one must clarify the alleged offense and the moral grounds for action. The Sun’s question frames accountability and restraint—force should not be used without just cause.
Jamadagni, after making a declaration, arms himself with a divine bow and arrows and stands facing the Sun’s path. The Sun then approaches and questions him (addressing Yudhishthira as ‘Kaunteya’ in the narration), asking what offense the Sun has committed against him.