Shloka 15
अध्याय ३३ — कर्म, दैव, हठ, स्वभाव और पुरुषार्थ पर द्रौपदी का उपदेश
Draupadī on Action, Fate, and Human Effort
स भवान् दृष्टिमाछछक्त: पश्यन्नस्मासु पौरुषम् | आनृशंस्यपरो राजन् नानर्थमवबुध्यसे,“राजन! आप समझदार, दूरदर्शी और शक्तिशाली हैं, हमारे पुरुषार्थको देख चुके हैं; तो भी इस प्रकार दयाको अपनाकर इससे होनेवाले अनर्थको नहीं समझ रहे हैं
sa bhavān dṛṣṭimān śaktaḥ paśyann asmāsu pauruṣam | ānṛśaṁsyaparo rājan nānartham avabudhyase ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, you are discerning and capable; you have already witnessed our manly effort and resolve. Yet, by clinging to misplaced compassion, you fail to recognize the harm and disorder that will arise from it.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Compassion (ānṛśaṁsya) is a virtue, but when applied without discernment it can enable wrongdoing and produce anartha (harm). A ruler must balance gentleness with clear-sighted judgment of consequences.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a king, reminding him that he is wise and has already seen the speaker’s side demonstrate pauruṣa (effort/valor). Despite this, the king is being overly guided by compassion and is not recognizing the negative outcomes that such leniency may cause.