Shloka 22
Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)
राजोवाच वरं ददानि ते हन्त तद् गृहाण यदिच्छसि । अवध्यो वध्यतां कोडउ्द्य वध्य: कोउ्द्य विमुच्यताम्
rājovāca varaṃ dadāni te hanta tad gṛhāṇa yad icchasi | avadhyo vadhyatāṃ ko 'dya vadhyaḥ ko 'dya vimucyatām |
ରାଜା କହିଲେ—“ଆସ, ମୁଁ ତୋତେ ବର ଦେଉଛି; ଯାହା ଇଚ୍ଛା ଗ୍ରହଣ କର। ଆଜି ତୋର କଥାରେ କାହାକୁ ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦେବି—ଯେ ଦଣ୍ଡନୀୟ ନୁହେଁ? ଏବଂ କାହାକୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରିବି—ଯେ ଦଣ୍ଡନୀୟ?”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s power to punish or release is immense and must be exercised through dharma. The verse highlights how a ‘boon’ can become an ethical test: the request should not subvert justice, and the king’s discretion must be restrained by righteous norms rather than personal preference.
A king offers a boon and invites the recipient to state any desire. He explicitly extends this to judicial acts—punishing someone normally exempt or freeing someone normally punishable—thereby signaling both his authority and the moral weight of what the recipient might ask.