Shloka 26
Ādi-parva, Adhyāya 73: Devayānī–Śarmiṣṭhā Dispute, Confinement in the Well, and Yayāti’s Rescue
त्वयाद्य भद्रे रहसि मामनादृत्य यः कृत: । पुंसा सह समायोगो न स धर्मोपघातक:,'भद्रे! आज तुमने मेरी अवहेलना करके जो एकान्तमें किसी पुरुषके साथ सम्बन्ध स्थापित किया है, वह तुम्हारे धर्मका नाशक नहीं है
tvayādya bhadre rahasi mām anādṛtya yaḥ kṛtaḥ | puṃsā saha samāyogo na sa dharmopaghātakaḥ ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «يا لطيفةَ الطبع، إن الاتحادَ السريَّ الذي عقدتِه اليوم مع رجل—مع أنكِ لم تراعيني—ليس في ذاته مُهلكًا لدارماكِ.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical distinction: a private union with a man is not automatically a ‘destroyer of dharma’; moral evaluation depends on broader context rather than mere appearance or secrecy.
Vaiśampāyana reports a statement addressed to a woman (‘bhadre’), referring to her having formed a secret association with a man while disregarding the speaker; the speaker reassures her that this act, by itself, need not ruin her dharma.