Shloka 16
Jaratkāru’s Marital Compact and Departure (जरत्कारु–जरत्कारुणी संवादः)
काश्यप उवाच धनार्थी याम्यहं तत्र तन्मे देहि भुजड़म । ततो<हं विनिवर्तिष्ये स्वापतेयं प्रगृह्य वै,काश्यपने कहा--नागराज तक्षक! मैं तो वहाँ धनके लिये ही जाता हूँ, वह तुम्हीं मुझे दे दो तो उस धनको लेकर मैं घर लौट जाऊँगा
kāśyapa uvāca | dhanārthī yāmy ahaṃ tatra tan me dehi bhujaṅgama | tato 'haṃ vinivartiṣye svāpateyaṃ pragṛhya vai ||
Kāśyapa sprach: „O König der Nāgas, Takṣaka! Ich gehe dorthin allein um des Reichtums willen; darum, o Schlange, gib mir diesen. Dann werde ich umkehren und heimkehren, nachdem ich meinen gebührenden Anteil an mich genommen habe.“
काश्यप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension: a learned figure frames his action as purely transactional—seeking a ‘rightful share’ (svāpateya) and promising to withdraw once satisfied—showing how desire for gain can be rationalized as legitimate entitlement.
Kāśyapa addresses a serpent and states that his purpose in going ‘there’ is only to obtain wealth; he asks the serpent to give it to him, promising that once he receives his due portion he will turn back and return.