Shloka 20
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैर्याच्यमानस्तया नृपः । नाश्रददथच्छाल्वपति: कन्यायां भरतर्षभ,भरतभूषण! इस तरह नाना प्रकारके वचनोंद्वारा बार-बार याचना करनेपर भी शाल्वराजने उस कन्याकी बातोंपर विश्वास नहीं किया
evaṁ bahuvidhair vākyair yācyamānas tayā nṛpaḥ | nāśraddadhac chālvapatiḥ kanyāyāṁ bharatarṣabha ||
பரதவృషபரே! அவள் பலவகைச் சொற்களால் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் வேண்டினாலும், சால்வநாதன் அந்தக் கன்னியின் வார்த்தைகளில் நம்பிக்கை கொள்ளவில்லை.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between persuasion and credibility: even repeated, varied pleading may fail when trust is absent. It implicitly stresses that truthful speech must be supported by perceived reliability, and that rulers’ judgments often hinge on śraddhā (confidence) as much as on words.
Bhīṣma narrates that a maiden repeatedly appeals to the Śālva king with many arguments, but despite her entreaties he refuses to believe her claim or statement, remaining unconvinced.