Shloka 45
Adhyāya 90: Babhruvāhana’s Reception and the Commencement of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Aśvamedha
अपि कीटपतड़ानां मृगाणां चैव शोभने
api kīṭapataḍānāṁ mṛgāṇāṁ caiva śobhane
Nakula said: “O fair one, even among insects and birds, and likewise among the beasts of the wild…”
नकुल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line introduces an ethical comparison drawn from nature: even among the smallest creatures— insects, birds, and wild animals—one can observe patterns of conduct and relationship that can be used to reflect on proper human behavior (dharma).
Nakula begins a statement addressed to a woman (“O fair one”), setting up an argument or illustration that will appeal to examples from the animal world—starting with insects, birds, and beasts—before completing the point in the following verses.