Shloka 13

Gālava Completes the Horse-Gift: Garuḍa’s Counsel and Viśvāmitra’s Acceptance (गालव-विष्वामित्र-सम्बन्धः)

Devanagari script

मूल्येनापि सम॑ कुर्या तवाहं द्विजसत्तम । पौरजानपदार्थ तु ममार्थो नात्मभोगत:,द्विजप्रवर! मैं घोड़ोंका मूल्य देकर आपका सारा शुल्क चुका दूँ, यह भी सम्भव नहीं है; क्योंकि मेरा धन पुरवासियों तथा जनपदनिवासियोंके लिये है, अपने उपभोगमें लानेके लिये नहीं

Transliteration

mūlyenāpi samaṃ kuryās tavāhaṃ dvijasattama | paurajānapa-dārthaṃ tu mamārtho nātmabhogataḥ ||

Translation

Nārada said: “O best of Brāhmaṇas, I cannot fully settle your due even by paying the horses’ price. For my wealth is meant for the needs of the townspeople and the inhabitants of the countryside, not for my own personal enjoyment.”

Word by Word

मूल्येनby (the) price/value

अपिeven/also

समम्equally/fully (in full measure)

कुर्यात्would do / could do / should do

तवof you/your

अहम्I

द्विजसत्तमO best of twice-born (Brahmin)

पौरजानपदार्थःwealth meant for townsmen and country-folk

तुbut/indeed

ममof me/my

अर्थःwealth/purpose

नnot

आत्मभोगतःfrom/for personal enjoyment

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

dvijasattama (a Brāhmaṇa addressee)

horses (as valued property)

townspeople (paurāḥ)

countryfolk/realm-inhabitants (jānapa(dāḥ))

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wealth held by a responsible person—especially a ruler or public trustee—is to be directed toward the welfare of the people (town and countryside), not toward private indulgence; ethical restraint governs even legitimate transactions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a revered Brāhmaṇa and explains that he cannot simply pay off the full due by valuing the horses, because his resources are earmarked for the public—citizens and provincial inhabitants—rather than for his own discretionary enjoyment.