Shloka 21
गालवेन उशीनरराजसमागमः
Gālava’s Audience with King Uśīnara
धर्मात्मा राजा दिवोदास अपनी की हुई सत्य प्रतिज्ञा पर अटल रहनेवाले थे; अतः उन्होंने गालवको वह कन्या लौटा दी
dharmātmā rājā divodāsaḥ svīkṛtāyāḥ satyapratijñāyāḥ sthiraḥ san, tasmāt sa gālavāya tāṃ kanyāṃ punar adāt.
ധർമ്മാത്മാവായ രാജാവ് ദിവോദാസൻ താൻ എടുത്ത സത്യപ്രതിജ്ഞയിൽ അചഞ്ചലനായി നിന്നു; അതിനാൽ ഗാലവനു ആ കന്യയെ തിരികെ നൽകി.
दिवोदास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights satya and dharma in practice: a ruler’s moral authority rests on keeping a truthful vow even when it requires relinquishing something valuable. Integrity is shown not by power, but by fidelity to one’s pledged word.
Divodāsa, described as dharmātmā, remains firm in a prior truthful commitment. Because of that commitment, he returns the maiden to Gālava rather than retaining her for his own purposes.