Shloka 46
Parṇāda’s Report; Bāhuka’s Counsel; Damayantī’s Strategic Svayaṃvara Message (अध्याय ६८)
ज्ञातमात्रेडपि दास्यामि गवां दशशतं धनम् | “साथ ही जीविकाके लिये अग्रहार (करमुक्त भूमि) दूँगा और ऐसा गाँव दे दूँगा, जो आयमें नगरके समान होगा। यदि नल-दमयन्तीमेंसे किसी एकको या दोनोंको ही यहाँ ले आना सम्भव न हो सके तो केवल उनका पता लग जानेपर भी मैं एक हजार गोधन दान करूँगा'
jñātamātreḍ api dāsyāmi gavāṃ daśaśataṃ dhanam |
Bṛhadaśva said: “Even if I learn only their whereabouts, I will give as a reward a thousand head of cattle as wealth.”
ब॒हदश्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic kingship through generosity and fidelity to one’s promise: a ruler uses wealth as a righteous incentive to relieve others’ distress, and the spoken pledge itself becomes a moral commitment.
Bṛhadaśva announces a reward: even if someone can only discover the location of Nala and Damayantī (without bringing them), he will still grant a thousand cattle, encouraging the search and signaling the urgency of reuniting the separated pair.