Shloka 21
निर्वेदोपदेशः (Nirveda-Upadeśa) — Maṅki’s Dispassion and the Limits of Wealth-Seeking
ततः स राक्षसेन्द्र: स्वान् प्रेष्पयानाह युधिष्ठिर गौतमो नगरद्वारात् शीघ्रमानीयतामिति,युधिष्ठिर! यह समाचार पाते ही राक्षसराजने अपने सेवकोंसे कहा--“गौतमको नगरद्वारसे शीघ्र यहाँ लाया जाय”
tataḥ sa rākṣasendraḥ svān preṣyān āha—yudhiṣṭhira, gautamo nagaradvārāt śīghram ānīyatām iti.
Alors le seigneur des Rākṣasas, ayant reçu ce rapport, s’adressa à ses serviteurs : «Ô Yudhiṣṭhira, qu’on amène Gautama ici sur-le-champ depuis la porte de la cité.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral weight of authority: a ruler’s command can rapidly alter another person’s situation. It invites reflection on dharma in governance—how orders should be issued and carried out with awareness of justice, restraint, and responsibility.
Bhīṣma narrates that the Rākṣasa king, having received news, instructs his attendants to bring Gautama immediately from the city gate, addressing Yudhiṣṭhira as the listener.