Shloka 28
Kīcaka-vadha-pratisaṃjñā: Rumor in Matsya and the Kaurava Scouts’ Report (कीचकवध-प्रतिसंज्ञा)
तब राजपुत्री सुदेष्णाने विराटके कथनानुसार उससे कहा--'सैरन्ध्री! तुम जहाँ जाना चाहो, शीघ्र चली जाओ ।।
rājā bibheti te bhadre gandharvebhyaḥ parābhavāt | tvaṃ cāpi taruṇī subhru rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi | puṃsām iṣṭaḥ strī-viṣayo gandharvāś cātikopanāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: Conforme o relato, a rainha Sudeṣṇā falou a Sairandhrī, criada de Virāṭa: “Boa senhora, vai depressa para onde desejares. O rei teme a derrota que pode vir-lhe pelas mãos dos teus Gandharvas. E tu, de belas sobrancelhas, ainda és jovem — nesta terra não há mulher comparável a ti em beleza. Os homens são naturalmente atraídos pelos objetos do prazer; e os teus Gandharvas são extremamente prontos à ira.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a pragmatic ethical warning: unchecked desire can lead to reckless conduct, and power must be exercised with restraint. It also reflects a ruler’s duty to avoid actions that endanger the realm—here, fear of retaliation by powerful Gandharvas becomes a deterrent, urging caution and protective distancing.
After hearing about Sairandhrī’s claimed Gandharva protectors, Queen Sudeṣṇā advises her to leave quickly wherever she wishes. She explains that King Virāṭa fears being defeated by those Gandharvas, and she underscores Sairandhrī’s exceptional beauty and youth, noting that men are prone to desire while the Gandharvas are quick to anger—implying danger if the situation escalates.