Shloka 24
Kubera’s Arrival and the Disclosure of Agastya’s Curse
Vaiśaṃpāyana–Janamejaya Narrative
वृथामरणमर्हश्व वृथाद्य न भविष्यसि । अथ चेद् दुष्टबुद्धिस्त्वं सर्वेर्धमर्विवर्जित:,'ऐसी दशामें तू व्यर्थ मृत्युका ही अधिकारी है और आज व्यर्थ ही तुम्हारे प्राण नष्ट हो जायँगे। यदि तेरी बुद्धि दुष्टतापर ही उतर आयी है और तू सम्पूर्ण धर्मोको भी छोड़ बैठा है, तो हमें हमारे अस्त्र देकर युद्ध कर तथा उसमें विजयी होनेपर द्रौपदीको ले जा। यदि तू अज्ञानवश यह विश्वासघात या अपहरण कर्म करेगा, तो संसारमें तुझे केवल अधर्म और अकीर्ति ही प्राप्त होगी। निशाचर! आज तूने इस मानवजातिकी स्त्रीका स्पर्श करके जो पाप किया है, यह भयंकर विष है, जिसे तूने घड़ेमें घोलकर पी लिया है।' इतना कहकर युधिष्ठिर उसके लिये बहुत भारी हो गये
vṛthāmaraṇam arhasva vṛthādya na bhaviṣyasi | atha ced duṣṭabuddhis tvaṃ sarvadharmavivarjitaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “You deserve a futile death; indeed, today you will not survive in vain. And if your mind has truly turned to wickedness, and you have cast off all dharma, then return our weapons and fight—if you win, take Draupadī away. But if, out of ignorance, you commit this act of betrayal and abduction, you will gain only unrighteousness and infamy in the world. O night-ranger, by laying hands upon a woman of humankind you have incurred a sin like dreadful poison—mixed in a jar and drunk by your own choice.” Having spoken thus, Yudhiṣṭhira became a crushing burden to him (i.e., a formidable opponent).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames abduction and betrayal—especially the violation of a protected woman—as a decisive fall into adharma that yields only disgrace. Even in conflict, dharma demands fairness (returning weapons, open combat) and condemns treachery and coercion.
Vaiśampāyana narrates Yudhiṣṭhira’s stern warning to a niśācara who has touched/abducted Draupadī. Yudhiṣṭhira challenges him to fight honorably after returning the Pāṇḍavas’ weapons, declaring that otherwise the offender will meet ruin and infamy; the speech makes Yudhiṣṭhira appear formidable.