को हि मां मानुष: शक्तो द्रष्टकामो यशस्विनि । संदर्शनरुचिर्वाक्यम ज्ञापूर्व वदिष्यति,यशस्विनि! भला, कौन मनुष्य मुझे देखनेकी इच्छा कर सकता है और यदि दर्शनकी इच्छा करे भी तो कौन इस तरह मुझे आज्ञा देकर बुला सकता है?
ko hi māṁ mānuṣaḥ śakto draṣṭukāmo yaśasvini | sandarśanarucir vākyam ājñāpūrvaṁ vadiṣyati, yaśasvini ||
Dijo el Nāga: «Oh ilustre dama, ¿qué humano podría siquiera ser capaz de desear verme? Y aun si alguien anhelara tal visión, ¿quién me hablaría con palabras de mandato, convocándome como si diera una orden, oh renombrada?»
नाग उवाच
The verse highlights restraint and propriety in addressing those of greater power or different status: desire for knowledge or vision does not justify commanding speech. Ethical communication requires humility and respect rather than entitlement.
A Nāga responds to an addressed woman (called “yaśasvinī”), expressing astonishment that any human would wish to see him and, more pointedly, that someone would attempt to summon him with commanding words—implying a breach of decorum or an overreach of human authority.