Shloka 183
ययाति-देवयानी-शर्मिष्ठा विवादः — Śukra’s Curse and the Disclosure of Lineage
दुहिता चैव कस्य त्वं वद सत्यं सुमध्यमे । “तुम किसी अत्यन्त घोर चिन्तामें पड़ी हो। आतुर होकर शोक क्यों कर रही हो? तृण और लताओंसे ढके हुए इस कुएँमें कैसे गिर पड़ी? तुम किसकी पुत्री हो? सुमध्यमे! ठीक- ठीक बताओ'
duhitā caiva kasya tvaṁ vada satyaṁ sumadhyame |
నీవెవరి కుమార్తెవు? ఓ సుమధ్యమే, సత్యమే చెప్పు.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds satya (truthfulness) as a dharmic requirement: in a crisis, truthful self-disclosure enables rightful protection, appropriate social responsibility, and ethically correct response.
A distressed woman is being questioned about her identity and parentage. The speaker urges her to speak the truth, indicating concern and the need to determine how to help her according to dharma and social duty.