Shloka 10
Pāṇḍu’s Marriages, Conquests, and Triumphal Return (पाण्डोर्विवाह-विजय-प्रत्यागमनम्)
तमहं शापभीता च पितुर्भीता च भारत । वरैरसुलभैरुक्ता न प्रत्याख्यातुमुत्सहे
tam ahaṁ śāpabhītā ca pitur bhītā ca bhārata | varair asulabhair uktā na pratyākhyātum utsahe ||
Wahai Bhārata, aku takut—takut akan kutuk sang resi dan juga takut kepada ayahku. Saat itu maharsi meneguhkan hatiku dengan anugerah-anugerah yang langka; karena itu aku tidak berani menolak permintaannya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear of authority (a father) and fear of spiritual consequence (a sage’s curse) can constrain personal agency; rare boons and social-religious pressure can make refusal feel impossible, raising ethical questions about consent and duty.
A woman recounts that she was caught between two fears—her father and a sage’s potential curse. The sage offered extraordinary boons and urged her, and under that pressure she felt unable to reject his request.