Shloka 10
Ulūpī–Citravāhinī Saṃvāda: Dhanaṃjaya-patana and Prāya-threat
ततः सा चारुसर्वाज्री समुपेत्योरगात्मजा । उलूपी प्राह वचन धर्म्य धर्मविशारदम्
tataḥ sā cāru-sarvāṅgī samupetyoragātmajā | ulūpī prāha vacanaṁ dharmyaṁ dharma-viśāradam ||
Da trat Ulūpī, die schlangengeborene Jungfrau von schönen Gliedern, heran und sprach ein gerechtes, dem Dharma entsprechendes Wort zu dem im Dharma Kundigen. Im Zusammenhang hatte sie Babhruvāhana niedergeschlagen und in Gedanken versunken gesehen, während sein kampfbegieriger Vater ihn immer wieder schalt; darum griff sie ein und erteilte Rat, gegründet auf sittliche Pflicht.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not merely force or anger in conflict; it requires discernment and timely counsel. Ulūpī’s approach highlights that ethical action in a charged situation may involve intervening with principled speech to guide one who knows dharma but is momentarily conflicted.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Ulūpī, the Nāga princess, notices Babhruvāhana sitting with a lowered face, lost in thought, while his father (Arjuna, in the broader episode) urges battle and scolds him. She then comes forward and begins to address Babhruvāhana with a dharma-based statement.