Shloka 7
मयस्य प्रतिकृतिः — Maya’s Offer and the Commissioning of the Sabhā
(दानवानां पुरा पार्थ प्रासादा हि मया कृता: | रम्याणि सुखगर्भाणि भोगाढ्यानि सहस्रश: ।।
dānavānāṃ purā pārtha prāsādā hi mayā kṛtāḥ | ramyāṇi sukhagarbhāṇi bhogāḍhyāni sahasraśaḥ || udyānāni ca ramyāṇi sarāṃsi vividhāni ca | vicitrāṇi ca śastrāṇi rathāḥ kāmagamās tathā || nagarāṇi viśālāni sāṭṭa-prākāra-toraṇaiḥ | vāhanāni ca mukhyāni vicitrāṇi sahasraśaḥ || bilāni ramaṇīyāni sukhayuktāni vai bhṛśam | etat kṛtaṃ mayā sarvaṃ tasmād icchāmi phālguna || arjuna uvāca—prāṇakṛcchād vimuktaṃ tvam ātmānaṃ manyase mayā | evaṃ gate na śakṣyāmi kiñcit kārayituṃ tvayā ||
Mayāsura berkata: “Wahai Pārtha, dahulu kala aku membangun bagi para Dānava istana-istana beribu-ribu—indah dipandang, sarat kenyamanan, dan kaya kenikmatan. Aku pun membuat taman-taman yang elok, danau-danau beraneka rupa, senjata-senjata menakjubkan, serta kereta yang melaju menurut kehendak. Aku membangun kota-kota luas dengan menara tinggi, tembok pertahanan, dan gerbang-gerbang megah; juga ribuan kendaraan unggul yang beraneka ragam. Bahkan ruang-ruang bawah tanah yang menawan, amat lengkap dengan segala kemudahan, telah kubuat. Semua itu adalah karyaku; sebab itu, wahai Phālguna, aku ingin membangun sesuatu untukmu juga.” Arjuna menjawab: “Mayāsura, engkau mengira dirimu terbebas dari bahaya maut olehku, maka engkau hendak membalas budi. Namun dalam keadaan demikian, aku tak dapat menyuruhmu mengerjakan sesuatu pun.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights an ethic of disinterested protection and restraint: Arjuna refuses to commission work from Mayāsura as a ‘repayment’ for saving him, implying that aid given in a crisis should not be converted into a transactional claim. It frames virtue as acting without bargaining for return, even when gratitude is offered.
Mayāsura, recalling his extraordinary skill in constructing luxurious palaces, cities, and marvels, offers to build something for Arjuna out of gratitude for being saved from mortal danger. Arjuna responds that since Mayāsura’s offer is motivated by a sense of indebtedness for rescue, he cannot accept or commission any work from him in that spirit.