Mahabharata 1.175.31 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 31
पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्
The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara
वसिष्ठ उवाच न त्वां त्यजामि कल्याणि स्थीयतां यदि शक््यते । दृढेन दाम्ना बद्ध्वैष वत्सस्ते द्वियते बलात्
vasiṣṭha uvāca | na tvāṃ tyajāmi kalyāṇi sthīyatāṃ yadi śakyate | dṛḍhena dāmnā baddhvaiva vatsaḥ te dvyate balāt ||
വസിഷ്ഠൻ പറഞ്ഞു—കല്യാണി! ഞാൻ നിന്നെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നില്ല. കഴിയുമെങ്കിൽ ഇവിടെ തന്നെ നിലകൊൾ. നിന്റെ കിടാവിനെ ദൃഢമായ കയറിൽ കെട്ടി ബലമായി വലിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നു।
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfast responsibility and compassion: Vasiṣṭha refuses to abandon the addressed woman and points to an injustice—an innocent dependent (the calf) being taken away by force—implying that dharma resists coercion and protects the vulnerable.
Vasiṣṭha speaks to an addressed woman (“kalyāṇi”), assuring her he will not forsake her and telling her to stay if she can, while drawing attention to her calf being tied with a strong rope and forcibly dragged away.
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