Shloka 36
शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नो5स्मि शृणु चेदं॑ वचो मम । येच त्वां मनुजा लोके कीर्तयिष्यन्त्यतन्द्रिता: । मत्प्रसूतं भयं तेषां न कदाचिद् भविष्यति,“अब मैं आपकी शरणमें हूँ। आप मेरी यह बात सुनिये। यदि भयसे पीड़ित और शरणमें आये हुए मुझको आप शाप नहीं देंगे तो संसारमें जो मनुष्य आलस्यरहित हो आपकी कीर्ति-कथाका कीर्तन करेंगे, उन्हें मुझसे कभी भय नहीं होगा।” कलियुगके ऐसा कहनेपर राजा नलने अपने क्रोधको रोक लिया
śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapanno ’smi śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama | ye ca tvāṃ manujā loke kīrtayiṣyanty atandritāḥ | matprasūtaṃ bhayaṃ teṣāṃ na kadācid bhaviṣyati ||
“I have come to you for refuge; please listen to what I say. If you do not curse me—though I am frightened and have sought your protection—then those people in the world who, without negligence, proclaim your fame will never at any time be afraid of the danger that arises from me.”
बृहदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical force of śaraṇāgati: when someone comes seeking refuge, the powerful are urged toward restraint rather than punitive anger. It also presents a reciprocal moral economy—praise of a righteous protector becomes linked with safety from the harm associated with the supplicant.
A speaker (introduced as Bṛhadaśva in the chapter framing) voices a plea of surrender: he asks not to be cursed despite being a source of fear, and promises that those who diligently celebrate the other’s fame will be protected from any danger arising from him. In the surrounding narration (as reflected in the Gita Press Hindi), King Nala restrains his anger after this appeal.