Shloka 22
Adhyāya 12: Devas’ Petition to Nahūṣa; Bṛhaspati on Śaraṇāgata-Dharma; Indrāṇī’s Strategic Delay
एतदेवं विजानन् वै न दास्यामि शचीमिमाम् | इन्द्राणीं विश्रुतां लोके शक्रस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्,इस प्रकार ब्रह्माजीके उपदेशके अनुसार शरणागतके त्यागसे होनेवाले अधर्मको मैं निश्चितरूपसे जानता हूँ; अतः जो सम्पूर्ण विश्वमें इन्द्रकी पत्नी तथा देवराजकी प्यारी पटरानीके रूपमें विख्यात हैं, उन्हीं इन शची देवीको मैं नहुषके हाथमें नहीं दूँगा
etadevaṁ vijānan vai na dāsyāmi śacīm imām | indrāṇīṁ viśrutāṁ loke śakrasya mahiṣīṁ priyām |
Sabiendo con certeza esto—que abandonar a quien ha buscado refugio conduce al adharma—no entregaré a esta Śacī. Ella es Indrāṇī, célebre en todo el mundo, la amada reina principal de Śakra (Indra); por ello no la daré para que caiga en poder de Nahūṣa.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic absolute: abandoning or betraying one who has sought refuge is adharma. Ethical duty overrides fear or expediency; the speaker refuses to surrender a protected person, especially a renowned and rightful queen, to an unworthy claimant.
Śalya declares that, fully aware of the moral fault in giving up a refugee, he will not hand over Śacī—Indra’s famed queen (Indrāṇī)—to Nahūṣa. The statement frames his decision as a principled refusal grounded in dharma.