Shloka 28
Post–Baka-vadha Residence and the Introduction of Yājñasenī’s Svayaṃvara (आदि पर्व, अध्याय १५३)
मयि तिष्ठति दुष्टात्मन् न स्त्रियं हन्तुमरहसि । संगच्छस्व मया सार्धमेकेनैको नराशन,“दुष्टात्मन! तू मेरे रहते इस स्त्रीको नहीं मार सकता। नरभक्षी राक्षस! तू मुझ अकेलेके साथ अकेला ही भिड़ जा
mayi tiṣṭhati duṣṭātman na striyaṃ hantum arhasi | saṃgacchasva mayā sārdham ekenaiko narāśana ||
বৈশম্পায়ন বললেন—হে দুষ্টাত্মা! আমি দাঁড়িয়ে থাকতে তুমি এই নারীকে হত্যা করতে যোগ্য নও। নরভক্ষী! এসো—আমার সঙ্গে একা একাই দ্বন্দ্বযুদ্ধে মুখোমুখি হও।
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a dharmic boundary in violence: harming a woman is condemned, and a righteous challenger redirects conflict toward a fair, direct confrontation—single combat—rather than cowardly aggression against the vulnerable.
A speaker confronts a man-eating rākṣasa who is about to kill a woman, forbids the act while he is present, and challenges the rākṣasa to fight him alone instead.