Shloka 10
Kīcaka-vadha-pratisaṃjñā: Rumor in Matsya and the Kaurava Scouts’ Report (कीचकवध-प्रतिसंज्ञा)
न हि त्वामुत्सहे वक्तुं स्वयं गन्धर्वरक्षिताम् | स्त्रियास्त्वदोषस्तां वक्तुमतस्त्वां प्रब्रवीम्पहम्,“तुम गन्धर्वोंसे सुरक्षित हो। मैं पुरुष होनेके कारण स्वयं तुमसे कोई बात नहीं कह सकता। किंतु स्त्रीके मुखसे तुम्हारे प्रति यह सब कहलानेमें दोष नहीं है; अत: अपनी पत्नीके द्वारा स्वयं ही तुमसे यह बात कह रहा हूँ"
na hi tvām utsahe vaktuṁ svayaṁ gandharvarakṣitām | striyās tv adoṣas tāṁ vaktum atas tvāṁ prabravīmy aham |
Vaiśampāyana said: “You are under the protection of the Gandharvas; therefore I do not presume, as a man, to address you directly. But when such words are spoken through a woman, there is no impropriety. Hence, through my wife, I convey this message to you.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dhārmic restraint in speech: when direct address could be socially or ethically improper—especially toward a woman said to be under divine/otherworldly protection—one should choose a blameless, socially acceptable channel of communication.
The speaker explains why he will not speak directly to the woman described as ‘protected by Gandharvas.’ Instead, he relays the message through his wife, presenting this as the proper and faultless way to communicate in that situation.