Shloka 29
Sudeva Identifies Damayantī in Cedi (सुदेवेन दमयन्ती-परिचयः)
अवश्यमेव हन्याम: सार्थस्य किल कृत्यकाम् | “निश्चय ही वह राक्षसी, यक्षी अथवा भयंकर पिशाची थी--इसमें विचार करनेकी कोई आवश्यकता नहीं कि यह सारा पापपूर्ण कृत्य उसीका किया हुआ है। उसने हमें अनेक प्रकारका दुःख दिया और प्राय: सारे दलका विनाश कर डाला। वह पापिनी समूचे सार्थके लिये अवश्य ही कृत्या बनकर आयी थी। यदि हम उसे देख लेंगे तो ढेलोंसे, धूल और तिनकोंसे, लकड़ियों और मुक्कोंसे भी अवश्य मार डालेंगे || २७-२८ $ ।। दमयन्ती तु तच्छुत्वा वाक््यं तेषां सुदारुणम्,“उनका वह अत्यन्त भयंकर वचन सुनकर दमयन्ती लज्जासे गड़ गयी और भयसे व्याकुल हो उठी। उनके पापपूर्ण संकल्पके संघटित होनेकी आशंका करके वह उसी ओर भाग गयी, जहाँ घना जंगल था। वहाँ जाकर अपनी इस परिस्थितिपर विचार करके वह विलाप करने लगी--
bṛhadaśva uvāca | avaśyam eva hanyāmaḥ sārthasya kila kṛtyakām | niścayaṃ hi sā rākṣasī yakṣī athavā bhayaṅkarī piśācī āsīt—atra vicāraṇe nāvaśyakam; etat sarvaṃ pāpakṛtyaṃ tayā kṛtam | sā asmān anekaprakāraṃ duḥkham adāt prāyaś ca sarvasya dalasya vināśaṃ cakāra | sā pāpinī samūcasya sārthasya kṛtyā-bhūtāgacchat | yadi tāṃ paśyema, śilābhiḥ rajobhiḥ tṛṇaiḥ kāṣṭhaiś ca muṣṭibhiś caiva niścayena hanyāma || damayantī tu tac chrutvā teṣāṃ vākyam sudāruṇam, lajjayā nimagnā bhayena ca vyākulābhavat | teṣāṃ pāpasaṅkalpasya saṅghaṭanāśaṅkayā sā tata eva dhāvati yatra gahanaṃ vanam | tatra gatvā svāvasthāṃ vicārya vilalāpa ||
Bṛhadaśva said: “We will certainly kill her—she has clearly come as a deadly ‘kṛtyā’ against this caravan. There is no need to deliberate: she must be a rākṣasī, a yakṣī, or some terrifying piśācī, for this entire sinful deed has been done by her. She has caused us suffering in many ways and has almost destroyed the whole company. If we catch sight of her, we will surely strike her down—even with clods of earth, dust and straw, sticks, and our fists.” Hearing their extremely cruel words, Damayantī sank with shame and was shaken with fear. Suspecting that their sinful resolve might be carried out, she fled toward the dense forest. Reaching it, she reflected on her plight and began to lament.
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how fear and collective suspicion can quickly turn into adharma: people justify violence by labeling an outsider as ‘demonic’ without proof. It warns against rash judgment, scapegoating, and the ethical collapse that follows mob resolve.
The caravan members, having suffered misfortune, decide Damayantī must be a harmful supernatural being and vow to kill her by any means. Hearing this, Damayantī—ashamed and terrified—runs into the dense forest and begins to lament her condition.