Shloka 24
Adhyāya 45 — Duryodhana’s Distress, Śakuni’s Counsel, and the Summons for Dyūta
दत्तं मया याचितं च तानि पूर्णानि पार्थिवा: । अधुना वधयिष्यामि पश्यतां वो महीक्षिताम्,“यहाँ बैठे हुए सब महीपाल यह सुन लें कि मैंने क्यों अबतक इसके अपराध क्षमा किये हैं? इसीकी माताके याचना करनेपर मैंने उसे यह प्रार्थित वर दिया था कि शिशुपालके सौ अपराध क्षमा कर दूँगा। राजाओ! वे सब अपराध अब पूरे हो गये हैं; अतः आप सभी भूमिपतियोंके देखते-देखते मैं अभी इसका वध किये देता हूँ”
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: dattaṃ mayā yācitaṃ ca tāni pūrṇāni pārthivāḥ | adhunā vadhayiṣyāmi paśyatāṃ vo mahīkṣitām ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O kings, the boon I granted at another’s request has now been fully exhausted. Now, in the sight of you rulers of the earth, I shall put him to death.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s patience and forgiveness may be extended due to a vow or boon, but dharmic governance also requires that repeated wrongdoing eventually meets just consequence—especially when a publicly declared limit has been reached.
The narrator reports a declaration addressed to assembled kings: the speaker states that a previously granted concession (forgiveness promised upon request) has now been fully used up, and therefore the offender will now be killed in full public view.