Shloka 7
त॑ देवमब्रवीद् भीता बन्धूनां राजसत्तम । व्रीडाविह्ललया वाचा शापत्रस्ता विशाम्पते
taṁ devam abravīd bhītā bandhūnāṁ rājasattama | vrīḍāvihvalayā vācā śāpatrastā viśāmpate ||
Terrified for her kinsmen, she addressed that divine being, O best of kings. Her words came out faltering with shame, for she was shaken by the fear of a curse, O lord of the people.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension: fear for one’s family and fear of incurring a curse can restrain speech and action. It underscores how shame (vrīḍā) and moral dread (śāpa-bhaya) shape conduct, especially when addressing a higher power.
A woman, anxious about the fate of her relatives, speaks to a divine being. She is emotionally overwhelmed—her voice falters from shame—and she is frightened by the possibility of a curse, while the narrator addresses the listening king with honorific epithets.