Shloka 331
Raivataka-giri Mahotsava and the Counsel on Subhadrā’s Marriage (रैवतके महोत्सवः — सुभद्राविवाहोपायविचारः)
एवं तै: समय: पूर्व कृतो नारदचोदितै: । न चाभिद्यन्त ते सर्वे तदान्योन्येन भारत
evaṃ taiḥ samayaḥ pūrvaṃ kṛto nāradacoditaiḥ | na cābhidyanta te sarve tadānyonyena bhārata ||
So hatten sie, von Nārada angetrieben, schon zuvor eine gegenseitige Abmachung getroffen; und damals, o Bhārata, verletzte keiner von ihnen sie oder handelte treulos gegen den anderen.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as fidelity to one’s pledged word: once a samaya (compact) is established, ethical conduct requires that it not be broken, especially in dealings with one another.
Vaiśampāyana reports that, at Nārada’s prompting, the concerned parties had previously set a mutual agreement, and at that time all of them adhered to it without violating it toward each other.