Shloka 16
हिरण्यपुरवर्णनम्
Description of Hiraṇyapura and the Nivātakavacas
यहाँ नागराज ऐरावत, वामन, कुमुद और अंजन नामक श्रेष्ठ गज सुप्रतीकके वंशमें उत्पन्न हुए हैं ।।
iha nāgarāja airāvataḥ vāmano kumudaś cāñjana-nāmakaś ca śreṣṭhā gajāḥ supratīkasya vaṃśe utpannāḥ santi | paśya yady atra te kaścid rocete guṇato varaḥ | varayiṣyāmi taṃ gatvā yatnam āsthāya mātale mātale |
Dans la lignée de Supratīka sont nés les éléphants les plus éminents : Airāvata, Vāmana, Kumuda, et celui nommé Añjana. «Ô Mātali, regarde : si parmi eux l’un, excellent et supérieur par ses qualités, te plaît, j’irai et, avec un effort attentif, je le choisirai pour toi.»
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worthiness should be judged by guṇa (qualities/merit). The verse frames choice as an ethical act: selecting the ‘best’ is not arbitrary but grounded in excellence and careful effort.
Nārada points out renowned, high-born elephants from Supratīka’s lineage and tells Mātali to choose whichever pleases him as the most qualified; Nārada then offers to go and obtain that elephant with due effort.