Shloka 9
Adhyāya 45 — Duryodhana’s Distress, Śakuni’s Counsel, and the Summons for Dyūta
अश्रमेधे हयं मेध्यमुत्सूष्टं रक्षिभि्वृतम् । पितुर्मे यज्ञविघ्नार्थमहरत् पापनिश्चय:
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: aśvamedhe hayaṃ medhyam utsṛṣṭaṃ rakṣibhir vṛtam | pitur me yajñavighnārtham aharat pāpaniścayaḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「父がアシュヴァメーダ（Aśvamedha）の祭儀に着手し、護衛に囲まれた聖なる馬が放たれたときでさえ、罪を決意した悪しき者は、父の祭儀を妨げるためその馬を奪い去った。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Deliberately obstructing a sacred duty (yajña) is portrayed as a grave ethical failing: the verse marks the thief as pāpaniścaya—one firmly resolved on wrongdoing—highlighting that intent (niścaya) intensifies moral culpability.
During the performance of an Aśvamedha, the consecrated horse—ritually released and guarded—gets stolen by a malicious person specifically to disrupt the speaker’s father’s sacrifice.