Shloka 28
Gārhasthya-Śreṣṭhatā and Kṣatriya-Daṇḍadhāraṇa
Householder Primacy and the Royal Duty of Punishment
“अतः तुम राजाके पास जाओ और अपनी करतूत उन्हें कह सुनाओ। उनसे कहना --नृपश्रेष्ठ! मैंने इस प्रकार बिना दिये हुए फल ले लिये हैं, अतः मुझे चोर समझकर अपने धर्मका पालन कीजिये। नरेश्वर! चोरके लिये जो नियत दण्ड हो, वह शीघ्र मुझे प्रदान कीजिये” ।। इत्युक्तस्तस्य वचनात् सुझ्युम्न॑ स नराधिपम् । अभ्यगच्छन्महाबाहो लिखित: संशितव्रत:,महाबाहो! बड़े भाईके ऐसा कहनेपर उनकी आज्ञासे कठोर व्रतका पालन करनेवाले लिखित मुनि राजा सुद्युम्नके पास गये
vyāsa uvāca — ataḥ tvaṃ rājāke pāsa jāo aura apanī kartūt unheṃ kaha-sunāo | unseṃ kahanā—nṛpaśreṣṭha! mayā evaṃ prakāreṇa adattaṃ phalaṃ gṛhītaṃ; ataḥ māṃ cauraṃ matvā sva-dharmaṃ pālayata | nareśvara! caurasya yo niyata-daṇḍaḥ sa śīghraṃ mahyaṃ pradīyatām || ity uktaḥ tasya vacanāt sujyumnaṃ sa narādhipam abhyagacchat, mahābāho, likhitaḥ saṃśita-vrataḥ ||
Vyāsa said: “Therefore go to the king and confess what you have done. Say to him: ‘O best of kings, in this manner I have taken fruit that was not given; therefore, regarding me as a thief, uphold your royal duty. O lord of men, quickly award me the fixed punishment prescribed for a thief.’ Thus instructed by his elder brother’s words, the ascetic Likhita—steadfast in strict vows—went to King Sudyumna, the ruler of men.”
व्यास उवाच