Shloka 7
नलदमयन्त्युपाख्यानम्—नलप्रशंसा हंसदूतवृत्तान्तः
Nala–Damayantī Upākhyāna: Praise of Nala and the Swan-Messenger Episode
रुरून् कृष्णमृगांश्वैव मेध्यांश्वान्यान् वनेचरान् । बाणैरुन्मथ्य विविधैर््राह्रणेभ्यो न्न्यवेदयत्,वे रुरुमृग, कृष्णममृग तथा अन्य जो मेध्य (पवित्र): हिंसक वनजन्तु थे, उन सबको विविध बाणोंद्वारा मारकर उनके चर्म ब्राह्मणोंको आसनादि बनानेके लिये अर्पित कर देते थे
rurūn kṛṣṇamṛgāṃś caiva medhyān anyān vane-carān | bāṇair unmathya vividhair brāhmaṇebhyo nyavedayat ||
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Con diversas flechas abatió ciervos ruru, antílopes negros y otros animales del bosque tenidos por aptos para el uso sagrado; y luego los ofreció a los bráhmanas, para que sus pieles se emplearan como asientos rituales y en otros fines afines. No se presenta el acto como violencia caprichosa, sino como caza reglada, orientada a sostener las necesidades del rito védico y la observancia bramánica.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a dharma-framed distinction between uncontrolled killing and regulated taking of life for sanctioned purposes: hunting is depicted as serving ritual and Brahminical needs (e.g., hides for sacred seats), emphasizing intention, restraint, and social-religious duty rather than mere violence.
The speaker describes a person who kills certain forest animals—ruru-deer, black antelopes, and other ritually acceptable creatures—using different arrows, and then offers them to Brahmins, implying provision of skins and materials for ritual use.