Shloka 44
द्रौपदी-स्वयंवर-प्रारम्भः
Commencement of Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara
चक्रे चात्मविनाशाय बुद्धिं स मुनिसत्तम: । न त्वेव कौशिकोच्छेदं मेने मतिमतां वर:,उस समय (अपनी पुत्रवधुओंके दुःखसे दुःखित हो) वसिष्ठने अपने शरीरको त्याग देनेका विचार कर लिया; परंतु विश्वामित्रका मूलोच्छेद करनेकी बात बुद्धि-मानोंमें श्रेष्ठ मुनिवर वसिष्ठके मनमें ही नहीं आयी
cakre cātmavināśāya buddhiṁ sa munisattamaḥ | na tveva kauśikocchedaṁ mene matimatāṁ varaḥ ||
O mais eminente dos sábios, Vasiṣṭha, oprimido pela dor, resolveu destruir a si mesmo. Contudo, o melhor entre os prudentes jamais sequer cogitou arrancar Kauśika (Viśvāmitra) pela raiz.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in extreme grief, a dharmic person restrains hostile intent: Vasiṣṭha may fall into despair about his own life, but he does not cultivate the destructive wish to annihilate his rival. The verse upholds non-malevolence and self-control over vengeance.
In the aftermath of suffering connected with his family (as implied by the surrounding narrative), Vasiṣṭha forms a resolve toward self-destruction. However, he does not consider ‘uccheda’—the total extermination—of Kauśika (Viśvāmitra), indicating his refusal to retaliate with annihilating hatred.