Shloka 17
Arjuna’s Account of Tapas and the Kirāta Test; Revelation of Maheśvara and the Grant of the Pāśupata-Astra
आत्मज्ञावात्मसम्पन्नौ यमौ चोभौ यथाशद्रिनो: । रक्ष्यास्तद्वन्ममापीह यूयं सर्वे युधिष्ठिर,तात युधिष्ठिर! जैसे अर्जुन देवराज इन्द्रके, भीमसेन वायुदेवके और तुम धर्मराजके योगबलसे उत्पन्न किये हुए निजी पुत्र होनेके कारण उनके द्वारा रक्षणीय हो तथा ये दोनों आत्मबलसम्पन्न नकुल-सहदेव जैसे दोनों अश्विनीकुमारोंसे उत्पन्न होनेके कारण उनके पालनीय हैं, उसी प्रकार यहाँ मेरे लिये भी तुम सब लोग रक्षणीय हो
dhanada uvāca | ātmajñāv ātmasaṃpannau yamau cobhau yathāśvinau | rakṣyās tadvan mamāpīha yūyaṃ sarve yudhiṣṭhira, tāta yudhiṣṭhira |
Dhanada disse: “Os dois irmãos gêmeos, dotados de autoconhecimento e força interior, devem ser protegidos—como os gêmeos Aśvin protegem os seus. Do mesmo modo, ó Yudhiṣṭhira, filho querido, a todos vós aqui eu também protegerei.”
धनद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Those who possess self-knowledge and inner strength are worthy of protection, and protection is also reciprocal: even a powerful being (Dhanada/Kubera) frames ethical duty as mutual guardianship grounded in relationship and dharma.
Dhanada addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and refers to the Pāṇḍavas’ divine connections, especially the twins’ descent from the Aśvins, to emphasize that the brothers are to be protected—and that, in this situation, Dhanada also looks to them as his protectors.