न त्वां त्यजामि शबले नापि मेऽपकृतं त्वया।एष त्वां नयते राजा बलोन्मत्तो महाबल:।।।।
na tvāṃ tyajāmi śabale nāpi me 'pakṛtaṃ tvayā | eṣa tvāṃ nayate rājā balonmatto mahābalaḥ ||
“Hindi kita iniiwan, O Śabalā, at wala kang ginawang kasalanan sa akin. Ang makapangyarihang haring ito—lasing sa lakas—ang siyang nagdadala sa iyo nang sapilitan.”
"O Sabala! I am not forsaking you. You have done me no harm. This highly powerful king is forcibly carrying you away from me.
Truthful clarification and faithful protection are duties of the righteous. Vasiṣṭha affirms he will not forsake the innocent and identifies coercion as a lapse from Dharma.
Vasiṣṭha reassures Śabalā and explains that the king is forcibly taking her, driven by power-pride.
Satya (truthfulness) and steadfast guardianship—Vasiṣṭha refuses to shift blame onto the innocent and names the ethical fault: power without restraint.