Shloka 72
Ajñātavāsa-saṅkalpaḥ — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Resolve and Dhaumya’s Exempla on Concealment
तद् यदि त्वं विजानासि किं तद् ब्रूहि सुमध्यमे । स्वप्लो मे यदि वा दृष्टो यदि वा सत्यमेव तत्,'सुमध्यमे! यदि तुम जानती हो तो बताओ; वह सब क्या था? मैंने जो कुछ देखा है वह स्वप्न तो नहीं था? अथवा वह सब सत्य ही था”
tad yadi tvaṃ vijānāsi kiṃ tad brūhi sumadhyame | svapno me yadi vā dṛṣṭo yadi vā satyam eva tat ||
Yama sprach: „Wenn du es wahrhaft verstehst, o Frau mit schlanker Taille, dann sage es mir — was war das? War das, was ich sah, nur ein Traum, oder war es in der Tat die Wahrheit?“
यम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical seriousness about सत्य (truth) and the need for clear knowledge: one should not act on mere appearances or dreamlike impressions, but seek confirmation of what is real and meaningful before judging or deciding.
Yama addresses a woman respectfully as “sumadhyamā” and asks her to explain what he has witnessed. He doubts whether his experience was only a dream or an actual event, prompting clarification and deeper understanding.