Shloka 11
Akṣa-hṛdaya-dāna and Phalāśruti of the Nalopākhyāna (अक्षहृदयदानम् / नलोपाख्यान-फलश्रुतिः)
नैषधेनैवमुक्तस्तु पुष्कर: प्रहसन्निव । ध्रुवमात्मजयं मत्वा प्रत्याह पृथिवीपतिम्,निषधराज नलके ऐसा कहनेपर पुष्करने अपनी विजयको अवश्यम्भावी मानकर हँसते हुए उनसे कहा--
naiṣadhenaivam uktas tu puṣkaraḥ prahasan niva | dhruvam ātmajayaṁ matvā pratyāha pṛthivīpatim ||
Thus addressed by the Naiṣadha king, Puṣkara—smiling as though in amusement—took his own victory to be certain and replied to the lord of the earth. The verse underscores the moral danger of overconfidence: when one assumes success as inevitable, one’s speech and conduct easily slip into arrogance and disregard for dharma.
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how certainty of victory can breed arrogance and mockery. Ethically, it warns that pride (mada) clouds judgment and weakens adherence to dharma, especially in rivalry and royal conduct.
After Nala (the Naiṣadha king) speaks, Puṣkara responds with a smile that suggests derision. Believing his own victory to be assured, he answers Nala—setting the tone for a tense, competitive exchange.