Shloka 43
Bhāgīratha’s Tapas and the Petition to Gaṅgā (गङ्गावतरण-प्रसङ्गः)
मुहुर्त विमना भूत्वा सचिवानिदमब्रवीत् । असमज्जा: पुरादद्य सुतो मे विप्रवास्यताम्,“अत: असमंजसके घोर भयसे आप हमारी रक्षा करें!” पुरवासियोंका यह भयंकर वचन सुनकर नृपश्रेष्ठ सगर दो घड़ीतक अनमने होकर बैठे रहे। फिर मन्त्रियोंसे इस प्रकार बोले--'आज मेरे पुत्र असमंजसको मेरे घरसे बाहर निकाल दो”
Lomāśa uvāca — muhūrtaṁ vimanā bhūtvā sacivān idam abravīt | asamañjāḥ purād adya suto me vipravāsyatām ||
Setelah beberapa saat duduk dengan hati muram, Raja Sagara berkata kepada para menterinya, “Hari ini juga, putraku Asamañja harus diusir dari kota.” Mendengar permohonan mengerikan warga—“Karena Asamañja kami berada dalam ketakutan besar; lindungilah kami!”—sang raja duduk bimbang selama dua ghaṭī; lalu ia memerintahkan para menteri, “Hari ini juga, keluarkan Asamañja dari rumahku.”
लोगमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king’s foremost duty (rājadharma) is the protection and welfare of the people; when a close relative becomes a source of public harm and fear, the ruler must act impartially, even at personal emotional cost.
The townspeople complain that Asamañja causes them severe fear and ask for protection. King Sagara, after a moment of sorrowful hesitation, orders his ministers to expel Asamañja from the city that very day.