Shloka 14

Vipula’s Guru-Obedience, Divine Flowers, and the Peril of Others’ Oaths (विपुलोपाख्यानम्—पुष्पप्राप्तिः शपथ-प्रसङ्गश्च)

Devanagari script

तथा ब्रूहि महाभाग कुरूणां वंशवर्धन । यदि शक्या कुरुश्रेष्ठ रक्षा तासां कदाचन ।।

Transliteration

tathā brūhi mahābhāga kurūṇāṁ vaṁśavardhana | yadi śakyā kuruśreṣṭha rakṣā tāsāṁ kadācana || kartuṁ vā kṛtapūrvā vā tan me vyākhyātum arhasi ||

Translation

因此，噢，尊贵者——弘扬俱卢族系之人——请告诉我：若在任何时候都有可能护佑那些女子，噢，俱卢中最卓越者，请为我阐明其法。若此等护佑曾在往昔得以成就，也请将那先例详尽叙述于我。

Word by Word

• {'tathā': 'therefore

• in that manner', 'brūhi': 'tell

• speak (imperative, 2nd sg.)', 'mahābhāga': 'highly fortunate

• illustrious (voc.)', 'kurūṇām': 'of the Kurus (gen. pl.)', 'vaṁśa-vardhana': 'increaser of the lineage

• one who strengthens the dynasty (voc.)', 'yadi': 'if', 'śakyā': 'possible

• feasible (fem. nom. sg.)', 'kuru-śreṣṭha': 'best among the Kurus (voc.)', 'rakṣā': 'protection

• safeguarding (fem. nom. sg.)', 'tāsām': 'of those (women) (gen. pl.)', 'kadācana': 'ever

• at any time', 'kartuṁ': 'to do

• to accomplish (infinitive)', 'kṛta-pūrvā': 'done before

• previously accomplished (fem. nom. sg., implying ‘such a protection’)', 'tan': 'that (matter)', 'me': 'to me

• my', 'vyākhyātum': 'to explain

• to expound (infinitive)', 'arhasi': 'you ought

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Kuru dynasty (Kurūḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames protection—especially of vulnerable women—as a central obligation of righteous kingship and dharma, and it emphasizes learning ethical action through both practical means and authoritative precedents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira respectfully questions an esteemed Kuru elder/authority, asking for concrete guidance on how women may be protected and requesting an earlier example (a prior case) where such protection was successfully carried out.