Shloka 93
Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
अणीमाण्डव्य इत्येवं विख्यात: स महायशा: । स धर्ममाहूय पुरा महर्षिरिदमुक्तवान्,पूर्वकालकी बात है वेदार्थोंके ज्ञाता, महान् यशस्वी, पुरातन मुनि, ब्रह्मर्षि भगवान् अणीमाण्डव्य चोर न होते हुए भी चोरके संदेहसे शूलीपर चढ़ा दिये गये। परलोकमें जानेपर उन महायशस्वी महर्षिने पहले धर्मको बुलाकर इस प्रकार कहा--
Aṇīmāṇḍavya ity evaṁ vikhyātaḥ sa mahāyaśāḥ | sa dharmam āhūya purā maharṣir idam uktavān |
„Jener große, ruhmreiche Weise war unter dem Namen Aṇīmāṇḍavya bekannt. In alter Zeit rief der Mahārṣi Dharma zu sich und sprach diese Worte.“
दाश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral inquiry: when suffering is inflicted on the innocent due to suspicion or flawed judgment, Dharma (justice) must be examined for fairness, due process, and proportionality. It sets up a critique of mechanical or excessive punishment and invites reflection on how moral law should account for intent and evidence.
The speaker introduces the famed sage Aṇīmāṇḍavya and states that, in ancient times, he summoned the personified Dharma and began to speak. This is the prelude to the well-known confrontation in which the sage challenges Dharma after having endured severe punishment despite not being a thief.