Shloka 43
Adhyāya 22: Śālva’s Weapon-Shower, Dāruka’s Wounding, and the Māyā-Report of Vasudeva’s Father
मय्यागते<5थवा वीर द्यूतं न भविता तथा । अद्याहं कि करिष्यामि भिन्नसेतुरिवोदकम्,राजन! यही कारण है, जिससे मैं उन दिनों हस्तिनापुरमें न आ सका। शत्रुवीरोंका नाश करनेवाले धर्मराज! मेरे आनेपर या तो जूआ नहीं होता या दुर्योधन जीवित नहीं रह पाता। जैसे बाँध टूट जानेपर पानीको कोई नहीं रोक सकता, उसी प्रकार आज जबकि सब कुछ बिगड़ चुका है, तब मैं क्या कर सकूँगा
mayy āgate 'thavā vīra dyūtaṃ na bhavitā tathā | adyāhaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmi bhinnasetur ivodakam, rājan |
Disse Vāyu: “Ó herói, se eu tivesse chegado lá, o jogo de dados não teria ocorrido de modo algum — ou então Duryodhana não teria permanecido vivo. Mas agora, ó rei, que posso eu fazer hoje, quando tudo já se desgovernou? Assim como a água não pode ser contida quando a represa se rompe, do mesmo modo os acontecimentos, uma vez soltos, avançam além de qualquer freio.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of timing and consequence: once wrongdoing has been set in motion and its results have ‘broken the dam,’ even great power may be unable to reverse the flow. It underscores that preventing adharma early is easier than repairing its aftermath.
Vāyu explains that his absence allowed the disastrous dice-game to occur; had he been present, either the gambling would not have happened or Duryodhana would not have survived. Now, with events already unraveled, he compares the situation to water rushing uncontrollably after a dam breaks.