Mahabharata 3.52.25 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 52, Shloka 25
Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)
यदि वेदा: प्रमाणास्ते दिवसादूर्ध्वमच्युत । त्रयोदश समा: कालो ज्ञायतां परिनिष्ठित:,“अच्युत! यदि आप वेदको प्रमाण मानते हैं तो तेरहवें दिनके बाद ही तेरह वर्षोंका समय बीत गया, ऐसा समझ लीजिये
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
yadi vedāḥ pramāṇās te divasād ūrdhvam acyuta |
trayodaśa samāḥ kālo jñāyatāṃ pariniṣṭhitaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dijo: «¡Oh Acyuta! Si aceptas los Vedas como autoridad, entiende esto como firmemente establecido: al concluir el decimotercer día, ha transcurrido por completo el lapso de trece años».
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse appeals to śāstra-pramāṇa (the Vedas as authoritative proof) to settle a dispute about rightful timing: when a vowed period is complete, dharma requires acknowledging the conclusion without manipulation.
A speaker addresses Acyuta (Kṛṣṇa) and argues that, by Vedic standards of reckoning, once the thirteenth day is completed, the entire thirteen-year term should be considered fully finished—supporting a claim that the stipulated exile period has ended.
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