Shloka 21
Adhyāya 6: Kaṅka (Yudhiṣṭhira) Seeks Refuge in Virāṭa’s Assembly
दस्युभिर्वा निरुद्धानां त्वं गति: परमा नृणाम् | जलप्रतरणे चैव कान्तारेष्वटवीषु च
dasyubhir vā niruddhānāṁ tvaṁ gatiḥ paramā nṛṇām | jalaprataraṇe caiva kāntāreṣv aṭavīṣu ca
وَیشَمپایَن نے کہا—ڈاکوؤں کے گھیرے میں آئے ہوئے انسانوں کے لیے تو ہی اعلیٰ ترین پناہ ہے۔ اسی طرح پانی پار کرنے میں بھی، اور ویران بیابانوں اور جنگلی راستوں میں بھی تو ہی ان کی یقینی جائے پناہ ہے۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse praises an ideal protector: in situations of danger—bandit attack, difficult crossings, or being lost in wilderness—people need a dependable refuge. Ethically, it highlights the dharmic duty of leadership (or a capable guardian) to provide safety and guidance when ordinary means fail.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Virāṭa Parva, describes someone being addressed or characterized as a supreme ‘gati’—a last resort—for people facing threats like robbers, hazardous water-crossings, and perilous forests, emphasizing that person’s role as a reliable protector in crises.