Shloka 17
नलस्य पुष्करजयो द्यूते
Nala’s Victory over Puṣkara in the Dice-Game
इदं चैव हयज्ञानं त्वदीयं मयि तिष्ठति । तदुपाकर्तुमिच्छामि मन्यसे यदि पार्थिव । एवमुकक््त्वा ददौ विद्यामृतुपर्णाय नैषध:,आपका अभश्वविज्ञान मेरे पास धरोहरके रूपमें पड़ा है। राजन! यदि आप ठीक समझें तो मैं उसे आपको देनेकी इच्छा रखता हूँ। ऐसा कहकर निषधराज नलने ऋतुपर्णको अश्वविद्या प्रदान की
idaṃ caiva hayajñānaṃ tvadīyaṃ mayi tiṣṭhati | tad upākartum icchāmi manyase yadi pārthiva | evam uktvā dadau vidyām ṛtuparṇāya naiṣadhaḥ |
قال نالا: «إن علم الخيل هذا، وهو في الحقيقة لك، قد بقي عندي كأمانةٍ مودَعة. أيها الملك، إن رأيتَ ذلك صوابًا فإني أرغب في ردّه إليك.» ثم إن نالا، ملك نيشادا، منح رِتوبَرْنَة علم الفروسية ومعرفة الخيل، ردًّا للحق إلى صاحبه.
नल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic reciprocity: knowledge held in trust should be returned to its rightful owner when the time is appropriate. Nala frames the skill as ṛtuparṇa’s property and offers it back with the king’s consent, modeling ethical restitution and fairness in exchange.
Nala addresses King Ṛtuparṇa and says that the horse-science (horsemanship) that properly belongs to ṛtuparṇa has remained with him. With ṛtuparṇa’s approval, Nala returns it, and then he actually imparts the aśvavidyā to ṛtuparṇa.