Shloka 26
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
तस्मिन् बद्धे महाप्राणे शत्रौ नित्याततायिनि । त॑ काल॑ पलितो ज्ञात्वा प्रचचार सुनिर्भय:
tasmin baddhe mahāprāṇe śatrau nityātatāyini | taṁ kālaṁ palito jñātvā pracacāra sunirbhayaḥ ||
Als jener mächtige Feind, ein stets lauernder Angreifer, gefangen und gebunden war, trat Palita, als er davon erfuhr, aus seinem Bau hervor und begann furchtlos nach allen Seiten umherzustreifen.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A society (or individual) regains fearlessness when a persistent aggressor (ātatāyin) is effectively restrained; dharma includes protecting the vulnerable by curbing habitual violence.
After the powerful, ever-aggressive enemy is trapped and bound, Palita learns the news and, no longer threatened, emerges from his burrow and roams freely without fear.