Mahabharata 3.52.19 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 52, Shloka 19
Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)
मया प्रशमिते पश्चात् त्वमेष्यसि वनात् पुनः । एवं कृते न ते दोषा भविष्यन्ति विशाम्पते
mayā praśamite paścāt tvam eṣyasi vanāt punaḥ | evaṁ kṛte na te doṣā bhaviṣyanti viśāmpate ||
جب میرے ہاتھوں دشمن کی قوت دبا دی جائے (اور قصہ تمام ہو جائے)، تب تم پھر جنگل سے واپس آ جانا۔ اے رعایا کے ناتھ! اس طرح کرنے سے تم پر کوئی الزام یا گناہ نہ آئے گا۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical safeguard: if one follows the proper sequence—waiting until hostile forces are duly subdued and then returning—one incurs no doṣa (moral/legal blame). It emphasizes dharma as right timing and right procedure, not merely the end result.
Vaiśampāyana reports a reassurance given to a ruler: after the speaker has dealt with the enemies, the king should come back from the forest. By returning under these conditions, the king’s action will be free from reproach.
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