Shloka 23
ययाति-देवयानी-शर्मिष्ठा विवादः — Śukra’s Curse and the Disclosure of Lineage
गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे पाणावुज्जहार ततोडवटात् । उद्धृत्य चैनां तरसा तस्मात् कूपान्नराधिप:
gṛhītvā dakṣiṇe pāṇāv ujjahāra tato 'vaṭāt | uddhṛtya caināṁ tarasā tasmāt kūpān narādhipaḥ ||
أخذها الملك بيمينه ورفعها من الحفرة. ثم، وبقوةٍ سريعة، انتشلها سيّدُ الناس من ذلك البئر—فعلُ حمايةٍ حاسمٍ يعضدُ دارما الحاكم: أن يُنقذَ الضعفاءَ والمستضعفين.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rājadharma: a king’s duty is to act decisively to protect and rescue those in danger, using power as a means of safeguarding the vulnerable.
Vaishampayana narrates that the king grasps a woman with his right hand and swiftly pulls her up—first from a pit and then out of a well—describing a physical act of rescue.