Shloka 4
दमयन्ती-शपथः वायोः साक्ष्यं च
Damayantī’s Oath and Vāyu’s Testimony
न चास्य प्रतिबन्धेन देयोडग्निरपि केशिनि । याचते न जल देयं सर्वथा त्वरमाणया,'“केशिनि! वह आग्रह करे तो भी उसे आग न देना और माँगनेपर भी किसी प्रकार जल्दीमें आकर पानी भी न देना
na cāsya pratibandhena deyognir api keśini | yācate na jalaṁ deyaṁ sarvathā tvaramāṇayā ||
“केशिनि! तो कितीही आग्रह करील तरी त्याला अग्नी देऊ नकोस; आणि तो मागेल तरी घाईघाईने कोणत्याही प्रकारे त्याला पाणीही देऊ नकोस.”
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
Acting ethically includes restraint and discernment: do not enable potentially harmful actions by giving dangerous means (fire) or even seemingly harmless aid (water) when circumstances are unclear; avoid decisions made in haste.
Bṛhadaśva instructs Keśinī on how to respond to a man’s demands: even if he insists or begs, she must refuse to provide fire and water, emphasizing caution and controlled judgment in a tense situation.