Shloka 6
Āraṇyaka-parva Adhyāya 199: Dharmavyādha on Svakarma, Vidhi, and the Limits of Ahiṃsā
प्रतर्दन इत्यब्रवीदृषि: । तत्र कि कारणं प्रतर्दनस्यापि गृहे मयोषितं स मां रथेनानुप्रावहत्,'देवर्षिने उत्तर दिया--'प्रतर्दनको।” “इसमें क्या कारण है?' ऐसा प्रश्न होनेपर देवर्षिने उत्तर दिया--'एक दिन मैं प्रतर्दनके घर भी ठहरा था। ये मुझे रथसे ले जा रहे थे। उस समय एक ब्राह्मणने आकर इनसे याचना की--“आप मुझे एक अश्व दे दीजिये।” तब उन्होंने ब्राह्मणको उत्तर दिया--'लौटनेपर दे दूँगा।” ब्राह्मणने कहा--“नहीं, तुरंत दे दीजिये।” “अच्छा तो तुरंत ही लीजिये” यों कहकर इन्होंने रथके दाहिने पार्श्वका घोड़ा खोलकर उसे दे दिया”
pratardana ity abravīd ṛṣiḥ | tatra ki kāraṇaṃ pratardanasya api gṛhe mayoṣitaṃ sa māṃ rathenānuprāvahat |
The sage replied, “(It was) Pratardana.” When asked, “What was the reason—how did you come to stay even in Pratardana’s house?”, the divine seer explained: “Once I lodged at Pratardana’s home as well. He was conveying me onward in his chariot.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage sets up Pratardana as an exemplar of dharma through prompt generosity: a righteous person does not postpone charity or evade a request, but responds immediately and sincerely, even when it causes personal inconvenience.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a sage’s reply identifying Pratardana and explaining why the seer stayed at his house: Pratardana hosted him and then escorted him onward in a chariot, introducing an episode that illustrates the king’s conduct toward supplicants.