Shloka 22
सा तान् दृष्टवा व्रीडमानेव बाला सूर्य देवी वचन प्राह भीता । गच्छ त्वं वै गोपते स्व॑ विमान कन्याभावाद् दुःख एवापचार:,उन्हें देखकर बालिका कुन्तीको बड़ी लज्जा हुई। उस देवीने भयभीत होकर सूर्यदेवसे कहा--'किरणोंके स्वामी दिवाकर! आप अपने विमानपर चले जाइये। छोटी बालिका होनेके कारण मेरेद्वारा आपको बुलानेका यह दुःखदायक अपराध बन गया है
sā tān dṛṣṭvā vrīḍamānā iva bālā sūrya-devī vacanaṃ prāha bhītā | gaccha tvaṃ vai gopate sva-vimānaṃ kanyā-bhāvād duḥkha evāpacāraḥ ||
Seeing him, the young maiden felt as though overcome with shame. Then, frightened, the maiden addressed the Sun-god: “O lord of rays, depart to your own celestial chariot. Because I am only a girl, my summoning you has become a grievous impropriety.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint and accountability: even when one has the power to invoke a deity, one must consider propriety, maturity, and consequences. Kuntī’s shame and fear reflect an inner moral compass—recognizing that an act done in innocence can still become an impropriety when it transgresses social and personal boundaries.
After the Sun-god appears in response to her invocation, the young Kuntī becomes embarrassed and frightened. She asks the Sun, addressed as the lord of rays, to return to his celestial chariot, saying that because she is only a maiden, calling him has turned into a painful offense.