Nakula’s Declaration and the Uñchavṛtti Brāhmaṇa’s Superior Merit (Āśvamedhika Parva, Adhyāya 92)
वशे स्थितोऊहं त्वय्यद्य क्षमावति महात्मनि । बिभेमि तपस: साधो प्रसाद कुरु मे प्रभो,'प्रभो! आज मैं आपके वशमें हूँ। आपकी तपस्यासे डरता हूँ। साधो! आप क्षमाशील महात्मा हैं, मुझपर कृपा कीजिये'
vaśe sthito ’haṃ tvayy adya kṣamāvati mahātmani | bibhemi tapasaḥ sādho prasāda kuru me prabho ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「今日、私はことごとくあなたの御支配のもとにあります。おお大いなる魂よ、あなたは本より忍耐深く、赦しに富むお方。私はあなたの苦行(タパス)の威力を畏れます、聖者よ。どうかお慈悲を、主よ——ご加護をお示しください。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights ethical restraint in the presence of spiritual power: one should approach the ascetic (whose tapas is formidable) with humility, acknowledge their capacity for forgiveness (kṣamā), and seek reconciliation through respectful supplication rather than confrontation.
The speaker (introduced as Vaiśampāyana) voices a plea to a powerful, ascetic, great-souled person: he declares himself under that person’s authority, admits fear of the ascetic’s tapas, and requests gracious favor—signaling a moment of appeasement and seeking protection or pardon.