Shloka 12
गान्धारीपुत्रोत्पत्तिः — The Birth of Gāndhārī’s Hundred Sons (and Yuyutsu); Omens and Counsel on Succession
तं॑ राजा सह तैश्लौरैरन्वशाद् वध्यतामिति । स रक्षिभिस्तैरज्ञात: शूले प्रोतो महातपा:
taṁ rājā saha taiś caurair anvāśād vadhyatām iti | sa rakṣibhis tair ajñātaḥ śūle protaḥ mahātapāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Raja, menyangka beliau bersekongkol dengan para pencuri itu, memerintahkan, “Hukum mati dia bersama mereka.” Para pengawal, tidak mengenali pertapa agung itu, lalu memancangnya pada pancang hukuman.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of hasty punishment: when authority acts on assumption and fails to discern a person’s true identity and merit, justice becomes adharma, harming the innocent—especially those devoted to tapas.
The king, believing the ascetic to be associated with thieves, orders execution. The guards do not recognize the great sage and carry out the order by impaling him on a stake.