Shloka 9
Vasiṣṭhāpavāha: Sarasvatī’s Diversion and Viśvāmitra’s Curse (वसिष्ठापवाहः)
एतान् पशून् नय क्षिप्रं ब्रह्मबन्धो यदीच्छसि । निकट जाकर दल्भ्यने कौरवनरेश धृतराष्ट्रसे पशुओंकी याचना की। यह सुनकर नृपश्रेष्ठ धृतराष्ट्र कुृपित हो उठे। उनके यहाँ कुछ गौएँ दैवेच्छासे मर गयी थीं। उन्हींको लक्ष्य करके राजाने क्रोधपूर्वक कहा--'ब्रह्मबन्धो! यदि पशु चाहते हो तो इन मरे हुए पशुओंको ही शीघ्र ले जाओ' || ७-८ $ ।। ऋषिस्तथा वच: श्रुत्वा चिन्तयामास धर्मवित्,क्रोधेन महता5<विष्टो धर्मात्मा वै प्रतापवान् | वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! ब्राह्मणत्वकी प्राप्ति करानेवाले उस तीर्थसे प्रस्थित होकर यदुनन्दन बलरामजी “अवाकीर्ण' तीर्थमें गये, जहाँ आश्रममें रहते हुए महातपस्वी धर्मात्मा एवं प्रतापी दलभपुत्र बकने महान् क्रोधमें भरकर घोर तपस्याद्वारा अपने शरीरको सुखाते हुए विचित्रवीर्यकुमार राजा धृतराष्ट्रके राष्ट्रका होम कर दिया था
etān paśūn naya kṣipraṁ brahmabandho yadīcchasi |
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “If you truly desire cattle, O ‘brahma-bandhu’—one who bears the name of a Brahmin but lacks Brahmin conduct—then take these animals away at once.” The line casts the king’s anger as a cutting insult, turning a request into humiliation and exposing the ethical fault of harsh speech toward a supplicant, especially one tied to sacred status.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger corrupts dharmic conduct: harsh speech and contempt (calling someone ‘brahmabandhu’) become ethical failures, especially when directed at a religious petitioner. It implicitly warns that a ruler’s words can inflict moral injury and provoke grave consequences.
A petitioner asks for cattle; the king, angered, responds sarcastically and insultingly, ordering him to take the animals at once—implying refusal or humiliation rather than generosity. The surrounding prose tradition often links this kind of insult to later ascetic wrath and destructive repercussions.