Shloka 8
Vyāsa’s Consolation to Yudhiṣṭhira: Tapas, Kāla, and the Difficulty of Dāna (दान-तपस्-विवेकः)
दृष्टवा रथागतान् वीरान् पाण्डवांश्ष॒तुरो रणे । तांस्तु विभ्राजितान् दृष्टवा लोकपालानिवोद्यतान्
dṛṣṭvā rathāgatān vīrān pāṇḍavān caturo raṇe | tāṁs tu vibhrājitān dṛṣṭvā lokapālān ivodyatān ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：见战场之上，四位般度婆英雄皆乘战车而立；又见他们光辉灿然、蓄势待发，宛如诸世界的守护神（Lokapāla）一般——旁观者无不为之震慑。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates disciplined, righteous martial readiness by likening the Pāṇḍavas to lokapālas—symbols of protection and order—implying that courage aligned with dharma can manifest as guardianship rather than mere aggression.
The narrator describes the sight of the four Pāṇḍavas in battle, mounted on chariots and shining with splendor, standing ready for action; their appearance inspires awe, as though cosmic guardians had taken the field.