Shloka 9
इदं हि वासो यदि वेदृशानां मनस्विनां रौरवमाहवेषु । अदीक्षितानामजिनानि यद्वद् बलीयसां पश्यत पाण्डवानाम्
idaṃ hi vāso yadi vīdṛśānāṃ manasvināṃ rauravam āhaveṣu | adīkṣitānām ajināni yadvat balīyasāṃ paśyata pāṇḍavānām ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຈົ່ງເບິ່ງເຄື່ອງນຸ່ງນີ້ຂອງພານດະວະຜູ້ມີໃຈກ້າແລະກຳລັງແຂງ—ໜັງສັດຫຍາບທີ່ສວມໃນກາງສົງຄາມ. ແມ່ນແທ້ ໜັງສັດແບບນີ້ອາດເໝາະກັບຜູ້ອົດທົນ, ແຕ່ເມື່ອຢູ່ເທິງພວກເຂົາ ມັນບໍ່ປານໜັງກວາງອັນສັກສິດທີ່ຜູ້ຮັບດີກສາ (dīkṣā) ໃນຍັດຍະຖືກສວມ; ກັບຄືໜັງທີ່ຜູ້ບໍ່ໄດ້ຮັບພິທີອຸປະນະຍະ/ດີກສາ ນຸ່ງ—ເພື່ອຫຍັບຢາມພວກເຂົາ ໂດຍປະຕິເສດກຽດສັກຂອງທຳມະ ແລະສະຖານະພິທີກຳ.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how social and ethical standing is rhetorically constructed through symbols: a deerskin can signify sacred discipline when linked to dīkṣā (consecration), but the same object can be weaponized as an insult by denying that sacred context. It warns how dharma-language and ritual markers may be used to confer or strip honor.
In the Sabha Parva’s tense court setting, the Pāṇḍavas are being publicly disparaged. Their hide-garments are pointed out and reinterpreted not as dignified, rite-associated attire but as the crude skins of the uninitiated—an attempt to shame them and undermine their prestige.