Shloka 14

Vipula’s Guru-Obedience, Divine Flowers, and the Peril of Others’ Oaths (विपुलोपाख्यानम्—पुष्पप्राप्तिः शपथ-प्रसङ्गश्च)

Devanagari script

तथा ब्रूहि महाभाग कुरूणां वंशवर्धन । यदि शक्या कुरुश्रेष्ठ रक्षा तासां कदाचन ।।

Transliteration

tathā brūhi mahābhāga kurūṇāṁ vaṁśavardhana | yadi śakyā kuruśreṣṭha rakṣā tāsāṁ kadācana || kartuṁ vā kṛtapūrvā vā tan me vyākhyātum arhasi ||

Translation

तस्मात् ब्रूहि महाभाग कुरूणां वंशवर्धन । यदि शक्या कदाचन तासां स्त्रीणां परिरक्षणम् ।। उपायं तन्ममाचक्ष्व कुरुश्रेष्ठ यथातथम् । कृतपूर्वं यदि क्वापि तदपि विस्तरेण मे कथयस्व महाभाग कुरुकुलवर्धन ।।

Word by Word

• {'tathā': 'therefore

• in that manner', 'brūhi': 'tell

• speak (imperative, 2nd sg.)', 'mahābhāga': 'highly fortunate

• illustrious (voc.)', 'kurūṇām': 'of the Kurus (gen. pl.)', 'vaṁśa-vardhana': 'increaser of the lineage

• one who strengthens the dynasty (voc.)', 'yadi': 'if', 'śakyā': 'possible

• feasible (fem. nom. sg.)', 'kuru-śreṣṭha': 'best among the Kurus (voc.)', 'rakṣā': 'protection

• safeguarding (fem. nom. sg.)', 'tāsām': 'of those (women) (gen. pl.)', 'kadācana': 'ever

• at any time', 'kartuṁ': 'to do

• to accomplish (infinitive)', 'kṛta-pūrvā': 'done before

• previously accomplished (fem. nom. sg., implying ‘such a protection’)', 'tan': 'that (matter)', 'me': 'to me

• my', 'vyākhyātum': 'to explain

• to expound (infinitive)', 'arhasi': 'you ought

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuru dynasty (Kurūḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames protection—especially of vulnerable women—as a central obligation of righteous kingship and dharma, and it emphasizes learning ethical action through both practical means and authoritative precedents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions an esteemed Kuru elder/authority, asking for concrete guidance on how women may be protected and requesting an earlier example (a prior case) where such protection was successfully carried out.