Shloka 14
Vṛddha-kanyā-carita and Balarāma’s Kurukṣetra Inquiry (वृद्धकन्या-चरितम् / कुरुक्षेत्रफल-प्रश्नः)
तत् कुक्षिणा वै ब्रह्म्षे त्वद्धक्त्या धृतवत्यहम् । न विनाशमिदं गच्छेत् त्वत्तेज इति निश्चयात्
tat kukṣiṇā vai brahman te tvadbhaktyā dhṛtavaty aham | na vināśam idaṃ gacchet tvatteja iti niścayāt ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O Brahmana, dahil lamang sa aking debosyon sa iyo kaya ko ito dinala sa aking sinapupunan. Sapagkat matibay ang aking paniniwala na hindi ito mauuwi sa pagkapahamak, yamang sinusuportahan ito ng iyong espirituwal na liwanag.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes steadfast faith: devotion to a righteous, spiritually potent person (tejas) becomes a ground for confidence that what is protected by such spiritual power will not be destroyed.
A woman speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) explains that she carried what was in her womb because of devotion to the addressed Brahman, trusting that his spiritual radiance would prevent its ruin.