Shloka 21
Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly
दस्युभिर्वा निरुद्धानां त्वं गति: परमा नृणाम् | जलप्रतरणे चैव कान्तारेष्वटवीषु च
dasyubhir vā niruddhānāṁ tvaṁ gatiḥ paramā nṛṇām | jalaprataraṇe caiva kāntāreṣv aṭavīṣu ca
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Bagi manusia yang dikepung para penyamun, engkaulah tempat berlindung yang tertinggi. Demikian juga ketika menyeberangi air, dan di belantara yang sunyi serta lorong-lorong rimba, engkaulah sandaran yang pasti.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises an ideal protector: in situations of danger—bandit attack, difficult crossings, or being lost in wilderness—people need a dependable refuge. Ethically, it highlights the dharmic duty of leadership (or a capable guardian) to provide safety and guidance when ordinary means fail.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Virāṭa Parva, describes someone being addressed or characterized as a supreme ‘gati’—a last resort—for people facing threats like robbers, hazardous water-crossings, and perilous forests, emphasizing that person’s role as a reliable protector in crises.