Shloka 7
वृषपर्वोवाच (यदि ब्रह्मनू घातयामि यदि वा55क्रोशयाम्यहम् । शर्मिष्ठया देवयानीं तेन गच्छाम्पयसद्गतिम् ।।) वृषपर्वा बोले--ब्रह्मन! यदि मैं शर्मिष्ठासे देवयानीको पिटवाता या तिरस्कृत करवाता होऊँ तो इस पापसे मुझे सद्गति न मिले। नाधर्म न मृषावादं त्वयि जानामि भार्गव । त्वयि धर्मश्च सत्यं च तत् प्रसीदतु नो भवान्,भुगुनन्दन! आपपर अधर्म अथवा मिथ्याभाषणका दोष मैंने कभी लगाया हो, यह मैं नहीं जानता। आपमें तो सदा धर्म और सत्य प्रतिष्ठित हैं। अतः आप हमलोगोंपर कृपा करके प्रसन्न होइये। भार्गव! यदि आप हमें छोड़कर चले जाते हैं तो हम सब लोग समुद्रमें समा जायूँगे; हमारे लिये दूसरी कोई गति नहीं है
vṛṣaparvovāca—yadi brahmanū ghātayāmi yadi vā krośayāmy aham | śarmiṣṭhayā devayānīṃ tena gacchāmi asadgatim || na adharmaṃ na mṛṣāvādaṃ tvayi jānāmi bhārgava | tvayi dharmaś ca satyaṃ ca tat prasīdatu no bhavān ||
Vṛṣaparvan said: “O brāhmaṇa, if I were to have Devayānī struck or even insulted through Śarmiṣṭhā, may that sin lead me to an evil end. O Bhārgava, I know of no unrighteousness or falsehood in you; in you dwell dharma and truth. Therefore, be gracious and be pleased with us.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler accepts moral responsibility for wrongs committed through dependents and seeks reconciliation by affirming the sage’s commitment to dharma and truth; ethical governance requires humility, confession, and restraint from violence and insult.
King Vṛṣaparvan pleads with the Bhārgava (Śukra), declaring that he did not authorize Devayānī’s beating or humiliation by Śarmiṣṭhā and asking the offended sage to be appeased and not abandon them.