Shloka 21
Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly
दस्युभिर्वा निरुद्धानां त्वं गति: परमा नृणाम् | जलप्रतरणे चैव कान्तारेष्वटवीषु च
dasyubhir vā niruddhānāṁ tvaṁ gatiḥ paramā nṛṇām | jalaprataraṇe caiva kāntāreṣv aṭavīṣu ca
Vaiśampāyana said: “For men who are hemmed in by bandits, you are the highest refuge. Likewise, in crossing waters, and in desolate wildernesses and forest tracts, you are their sure recourse.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises an ideal protector: in situations of danger—bandit attack, difficult crossings, or being lost in wilderness—people need a dependable refuge. Ethically, it highlights the dharmic duty of leadership (or a capable guardian) to provide safety and guidance when ordinary means fail.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Virāṭa Parva, describes someone being addressed or characterized as a supreme ‘gati’—a last resort—for people facing threats like robbers, hazardous water-crossings, and perilous forests, emphasizing that person’s role as a reliable protector in crises.