Shloka 22
कामीकवन-समागमः
Kāmyaka Forest Meeting: Kṛṣṇa’s Visit; Mārkaṇḍeya and Nārada Arrive
गृहीतस्य त्वया राजन् प्राणिनोडपि बलीयस: सत्त्वभ्रंशो5धिकस्यापि सर्वस्याशु भविष्यति,“राजन्! जिसे तुम पकड़ लोगे, वह बलवान्-से-बलवान् प्राणी क्यों न हो, उसका भी धैर्य छूट जायगा। एवं तुमसे अधिक शक्तिशाली पुरुष क्यों न हो, सबका साहस शीघ्र ही खो जायगा'
gṛhītasya tvayā rājan prāṇino 'pi balīyasaḥ sattvabhraṁśo 'dhikasya 'pi sarvasya āśu bhaviṣyati
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja, apabila engkau telah menangkap seseorang, sekalipun makhluk yang paling kuat, keteguhan jiwanya akan segera runtuh. Bahkan, sesiapa pun yang lebih kuat daripadamu—walau siapa pun dia—akan lekas kehilangan segala keberanian.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth about coercion: physical restraint or capture can shatter even great strength by breaking inner resolve (sattva). It warns that dominance over bodies often produces fear and loss of courage, regardless of a person’s inherent power.
Vaiśaṃpāyana addresses a king and emphasizes the intimidating effect of being seized or held. The statement functions as counsel or observation within the story, explaining how capture undermines confidence even in the strong.