Shloka 16
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 147 — Kanyā-paridevita
The daughter’s lament on lineage and protection
स तथेति प्रतिश्रुत्य खनको यत्नमास्थित: । परिखामुत्किरन्नाम चकार च महाबिलम्,तब उस सुरंग खोदनेवालेने “बहुत अच्छा, ऐसा ही होगा”, यह प्रतिज्ञा की और कार्यसिद्धिके प्रयत्नमें लग गया। खाईकी सफाई करनेके व्याजसे उसने एक बहुत बड़ी सुरंग तैयार कर दी
sa tatheti pratiśrutya khanako yatnam āsthitaḥ | parikhām utkiran nāma cakāra ca mahābilam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The digger, having pledged, “So be it,” set himself earnestly to accomplish the task. Under the pretext of clearing out the trench, he secretly fashioned a very large underground tunnel—showing how a stated duty can be used as a cover for a hidden design.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how outwardly legitimate work can be used as a cover for concealed intentions. Ethically, it invites reflection on integrity: effort and skill are value-neutral, but their moral weight depends on the purpose and honesty behind them.
A digger agrees to do what is asked and then applies himself to the task. While ostensibly clearing a trench, he excavates and prepares a large underground passage (a tunnel), implying a covert plan being executed under an acceptable pretext.