Shloka 9
Adhyāya 16 — Daiva, Kṣatriya-dharma, and Public Reassurance to Dhṛtarāṣṭra
इयं च बृहती श्यामा तथात्यायतलोचना । वृथा सभातले क्लिष्टा मा भूदिति च तत् कृतम्
iyaṃ ca bṛhatī śyāmā tathātyāyatālocanā | vṛthā sabhātale kliṣṭā mā bhūd iti ca tat kṛtam ||
Et celle-ci —grande, au teint sombre, aux yeux longs et vastes— ne devait pas, une fois encore, souffrir en vain sur le sol de l’assemblée royale. C’est dans ce dessein même que j’ai agi : pour empêcher que ma belle-fille ne soit de nouveau livrée à une humiliation et à une douleur sans raison au sein de la cour.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical imperative: preventing repeated, purposeless humiliation—especially in a public institution like the royal court—is a duty. It frames action as motivated by protection of dignity and the avoidance of needless suffering.
The speaker recalls a woman described by her stature and eyes, and states that the actions taken were intended to ensure she would not again be tormented on the assembly floor—an allusion to the earlier court-scene disgrace and the resolve to prevent its recurrence.