Shloka 3
ऋषभ उवाच इत्येवमुक्ते वचने राज्ञा मुनिरधोमुख: । तूष्णीमेवाभवत् तत्र न च प्रत्युक्तवान् नृपम्,ऋषभ कहते हैं--राजन्! राजाके ऐसा कहनेपर वे मुनि नीचे मुँह किये चुपचाप बैठे ही रह गये। राजाको कुछ उत्तर न दे सके
ṛṣabha uvāca | ityevamukte vacane rājñā munir adhomukhaḥ | tūṣṇīm evābhavat tatra na ca pratyuktavān nṛpam |
リシャバは言った。王がそのように語り終えると、聖仙は顔を伏せたまま座し、全き沈黙にとどまって、王に一言も返さなかった。
ऋषभ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights silence (tūṣṇīm) as an ethically charged response: when speech may be inadequate, premature, or harmful, restraint and inward reflection can itself communicate gravity, dissent, or contemplation within the pursuit of dharma.
After the king speaks, the sage lowers his face and remains silent, offering no verbal reply. Rishabha narrates this moment to show the tension between royal questioning/assertion and ascetic reserve, setting up the next development in the dialogue.