Shloka 12

Adhiratha-Rādhā Discover the Casket; Vasuṣeṇa (Karṇa) is Adopted and Formed

Devanagari script

कथं हास्मद्विधो जातु जानन्‌ धर्मविनिश्चयम्‌ । परहस्तगतां नारीं मुहूर्तमपि धारयेत्‌,“धर्मके सिद्धान्तको जाननेवाला मेरे-जैसा कोई भी पुरुष दूसरेके हाथमें पड़ी हुई नारीको मुहूर्तभरके लिये भी कैसे ग्रहण कर सकता है?

Transliteration

kathaṁ hāsmadvidho jātu jānan dharmaviniścayam | parahastagatāṁ nārīṁ muhūrtam api dhārayet ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya nói: “Một người như ta—kẻ hiểu rõ kết luận đã định của dharma—làm sao có thể giữ, dù chỉ trong chốc lát, một người phụ nữ đã rơi vào tay và dưới sự che chở, kiểm soát của kẻ khác?”

Word by Word

कथम्how?

हindeed/for emphasis

अस्मद्विधःone like me

जातुever/at any time

जानन्knowing

धर्मविनिश्चयम्the ascertainment/decision of dharma

परहस्तगताम्gone into another's hand (belonging to another)

नारीम्a woman

मुहूर्तम्for a moment (a muhūrta)

अपिeven/also

धारयेत्should hold/keep/accept

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A person who truly knows dharma must practice strict restraint: it is unethical to appropriate or even entertain possession of a woman who is under another’s rightful protection or marital/guardianship bond.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya speaks in a moralizing context, rejecting the very possibility of keeping a woman who belongs to another’s custody, emphasizing his dharma-knowledge as the reason for immediate refusal.