Shloka 3
Jaratkāru’s Marital Compact and Departure (जरत्कारु–जरत्कारुणी संवादः)
काश्यप उवाच दश नागेन्द्र वृक्ष॑ त्वं यद्येतदभिमन्यसे । अहमेनं त्वया दष्टं जीवयिष्ये भुजजड्रम
kāśyapa uvāca daśa nāgendra vṛkṣaṁ tvaṁ yady etad abhimanyase | aham enaṁ tvayā daṣṭaṁ jīvayiṣye bhujaṅgama ||
Kāśyapa berkata: “Wahai raja para nāga, jika engkau benar begitu congkak akan kuasamu, maka gigitlah pohon ini. Wahai ular, pohon yang kau gigit ini akan kuhidupkan kembali.”
काश्यप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts arrogant display of destructive power with the higher dharmic ideal of protection and restoration. True superiority is shown not by harming, but by the capacity and intent to preserve life and undo harm.
Kāśyapa challenges the serpent-king to bite a tree as a test of its boastful power, and declares that he will immediately revive the tree after it is bitten—setting up a contest between lethal venom and ascetic life-restoring potency.