Shloka 19
Adhyāya 125: Raṅga-pradarśana — Arjuna’s Entry and Astric Demonstration (रङ्गप्रदर्शनम्)
ननु नाम त्वया माद्रि रक्षितव्यो नराधिप: । सा कथ॑ं लोभितवती विजने त्वं नराधिपम्,'माद्री! तुम्हें तो महाराजकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये थी। तुमने एकान्तमें उन्हें लुभाया क्यों?
nanu nāma tvayā mādri rakṣitavyo narādhipaḥ | sā kathaṁ lobhitavatī vijane tvaṁ narādhipam ||
മാദ്രീ! നിനക്ക് രാജാവിനെ സംരക്ഷിക്കേണ്ടതായിരുന്നു; പിന്നെ ഏകാന്തത്തിൽ നീ എന്തിന് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ പ്രലോഭിപ്പിച്ചു?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral reproach: one who has a duty of protection (rakṣaṇa-dharma) must not become the cause of another’s downfall. It highlights accountability—especially when power, desire, and privacy create conditions for ethical failure.
Vaiśampāyana reports a pointed accusation addressed to Mādrī: instead of safeguarding the king, she is questioned for having lured him when he was alone in seclusion, implying a breach of expected conduct and responsibility.