Shloka 21
Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly
दस्युभिर्वा निरुद्धानां त्वं गति: परमा नृणाम् | जलप्रतरणे चैव कान्तारेष्वटवीषु च
dasyubhir vā niruddhānāṁ tvaṁ gatiḥ paramā nṛṇām | jalaprataraṇe caiva kāntāreṣv aṭavīṣu ca
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Für Männer, die von Räubern eingeschlossen sind, bist du die höchste Zuflucht. Ebenso beim Durchqueren der Gewässer und in öden Wildnissen und Waldpfaden bist du ihr sicherer Beistand.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises an ideal protector: in situations of danger—bandit attack, difficult crossings, or being lost in wilderness—people need a dependable refuge. Ethically, it highlights the dharmic duty of leadership (or a capable guardian) to provide safety and guidance when ordinary means fail.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Virāṭa Parva, describes someone being addressed or characterized as a supreme ‘gati’—a last resort—for people facing threats like robbers, hazardous water-crossings, and perilous forests, emphasizing that person’s role as a reliable protector in crises.