Shloka 9
Adhyāya 16 — Daiva, Kṣatriya-dharma, and Public Reassurance to Dhṛtarāṣṭra
इयं च बृहती श्यामा तथात्यायतलोचना । वृथा सभातले क्लिष्टा मा भूदिति च तत् कृतम्
iyaṃ ca bṛhatī śyāmā tathātyāyatālocanā | vṛthā sabhātale kliṣṭā mā bhūd iti ca tat kṛtam ||
而她——身形高挑，肤色黝黑，双目修长而广大——不应再在王廷大会的地面上徒然受苦。正为此意，我才做了我所做的一切：为阻止我的儿媳在朝堂之中再度遭受无谓的羞辱与痛楚。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical imperative: preventing repeated, purposeless humiliation—especially in a public institution like the royal court—is a duty. It frames action as motivated by protection of dignity and the avoidance of needless suffering.
The speaker recalls a woman described by her stature and eyes, and states that the actions taken were intended to ensure she would not again be tormented on the assembly floor—an allusion to the earlier court-scene disgrace and the resolve to prevent its recurrence.