Shloka 21
Marutta Seeks Saṃvarta’s Priestly Support; Conditions, Truth-Discipline, and Rival Powers
स्थैर्यमत्र कथं मे स्यात् सत्त्वं नि:संशयं कुरु । कुपितस्त्वां न हीदानीं भस्म कुर्या सबान्धवम्
sthairyam atra kathaṁ me syāt sattvaṁ niḥsaṁśayaṁ kuru | kupitas tvāṁ na hīdānīṁ bhasma kuryā sabāndhavam ||
Saṁvarta said: “How can I have steadiness here—how can I be sure of your resolve? Remove my doubt completely. For if anger overtakes me now, I could reduce you to ashes along with all your kinsmen.”
संवर्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of unchecked anger and the need for clarity and assurance in commitments. Saṁvarta demands doubt-free certainty before proceeding, implying that decisions affecting others should rest on firm resolve rather than suspicion or impulsive wrath.
Saṁvarta confronts the other party with a demand for unequivocal assurance of support. He warns that if his anger is provoked and his doubts remain unresolved, he possesses the power to destroy them along with their relatives—underscoring the tense, high-stakes nature of the exchange.