Shloka 5
ततो जलात् समुत्तीर्य कन्यास्ता: सहितास्तदा । वस्त्राणि जगृहुस्तानि यथासन्नान्यनेकश:,तब वे सभी कनन््याएँ एक साथ जलसे निकलकर अपने-अपने अनेक प्रकारके वस्त्र, जो निकट ही रखे हुए थे; लेने लगीं। उस सम्मिश्रणमें शर्मिष्ठाने देवयानीका वस्त्र ले लिया। शर्मिष्ठा वृषपर्वाकी पुत्री थी; दोनोंके वस्त्र मिल गये हैं, इस बातका उसे पता नहीं था
tato jalāt samuttīrya kanyās tāḥ sahitās tadā | vastrāṇi jagṛhus tāni yathāsannāny anekaśaḥ ||
Then those maidens, all together, came up out of the water. Each began taking up the many garments that had been placed nearby. In the ensuing mix-up, Śarmiṣṭhā took Devayānī’s garment—Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan—without realizing that their clothes had been confused.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Small lapses in awareness and etiquette in social settings can trigger disproportionate conflict; the episode foregrounds how carelessness (or perceived disrespect) becomes a moral and relational fault-line, setting in motion consequences that extend beyond the immediate moment.
After bathing, the group of maidens comes out of the water and retrieves the clothes left nearby. In the confusion, Śarmiṣṭhā mistakenly takes Devayānī’s garment, not realizing their clothes have been mixed—an incident that becomes the spark for their ensuing quarrel.