Shloka 21
मायासभायां दुर्योधनस्य अवमान-प्रसङ्गः
Duryodhana’s Humiliation in the Hall of Māyā
मा भेस्त्वं देवि धर्मज्ञे न मत्तोडस्ति भयं तव । ददामि कं वरं कि च करवाणि पितृष्वस:
mā bhaiṣṭvaṃ devi dharmajñe na matto 'sti bhayaṃ tava | dadāmi kaṃ varaṃ kiṃ ca karavāṇi pitṛṣvasaḥ ||
«Fürchte dich nicht, o Frau, die das Dharma kennt. Von mir hast du nichts zu fürchten. Sage, Tante: welchen Segen soll ich dir gewähren, und welche Aufgabe soll ich für dich vollbringen?»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A dharmic protector first removes fear and establishes trust: power should be exercised with restraint, reassurance, and readiness to serve rightful requests, especially within bonds of kinship and duty.
Bhishma addresses a woman related to him as his paternal aunt, calms her anxiety by declaring she has nothing to fear from him, and offers to grant a boon or fulfill whatever purpose she seeks.