Shloka 14
Satyavatī’s Disclosure and the Summoning of Vyāsa
Niyoga for Kuru Succession
तस्य तन्न प्रियं राज्ञ: शान्तनोरभवत् तदा । न च तां किंचनोवाच त्यागाद् भीतो महीपति:,पत्नीका यह व्यवहार राजा शान्तनुको अच्छा नहीं लगता था, तो भी वे उस समय उससे कुछ नहीं कहते थे। राजाको यह डर बना हुआ था कि कहीं यह मुझे छोड़कर चली न जाय
tasya tan na priyaṁ rājñaḥ śāntanor abhavat tadā | na ca tāṁ kiṁcanovāca tyāgād bhīto mahīpatiḥ ||
At that time her conduct did not please King Śāntanu; yet the lord of the earth said nothing at all to her, fearing that if he objected she might abandon him.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension: a ruler who knows something is wrong or displeasing still remains silent out of attachment and fear of loss. It suggests how fear of abandonment can weaken moral clarity and the courage to speak.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that King Śāntanu is unhappy with his wife's conduct, but he does not question or reproach her, because he fears she will leave him if he protests.