Shloka 23

कर्कोटक-उपदेशः

Karkoṭaka’s Counsel and Nala’s Concealment

Devanagari script

हा नाथ मामिह वने ग्रस्यमानामनाथवत्‌ | ग्राहेणानेन विजने किमर्थ नानुधावसि,(वह विलाप करती हुई कहने लगी--) “हा नाथ! इस निर्जन वनमें यह अजगर सर्प मुझे अनाथकी भाँति निगल रहा है। आप मेरी रक्षाके लिये दौड़कर आते क्‍यों नहीं हैं?

Transliteration

hā nātha mām iha vane grasyamānām anāthavat | grāheṇānena vijane kimarthaṁ nānudhāvasi ||

Translation

‘Alas, my lord! Here in this forest I am being swallowed like one without protection. In this lonely wilderness, seized by this predator, why do you not run to my aid?’

Word by Word

हाalas! (vocative exclamation)

नाथO lord/protector

माम्me

इहhere

वनेin the forest

ग्रस्यमानाम्being swallowed

अनाथवत्like one without a protector

ग्राहेणby the serpent/grasper

अनेनby this

विजनेin a lonely/deserted (place)

किमर्थम्for what reason? why?

नnot

अनुधावसिyou run after / come running (to help)

Speaker

ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bṛhadaśva (speaker)

nātha (the addressed protector/husband/guardian, unnamed in this line)

vana (forest)

grāha/ajagara (predatory seizer; python/serpent)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dharmic expectation of protection: one who is a ‘nātha’ (protector) is morally bound to respond swiftly to the helpless. It also underscores the human impulse to seek refuge and assistance in moments of peril.

What is happening in the narrative?

A woman, in panic, cries out to her protector that in the lonely forest a great serpent/predator is swallowing her, and she reproaches him for not rushing to save her.