Adhyāya 76: Kuṇḍina-praveśaḥ, Bhīmena satkāraḥ, Ṛtuparṇa-kṣamā, Aśvahṛdaya-pratyarpanam
Nala’s Reception and Reconciliation
अयं चरति लोके5स्मिन् भूतसाक्षी सदागति: । एष मे मुछ्चतु प्राणान् यदि पापं चराम्यहम्,ये सदा गतिशील वायुदेवता इस जगत्में निरन्तर विचरते रहते हैं, अतः ये सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके साक्षी हैं। यदि मैंने पाप किया है तो ये मेरे प्राणोंका हरण कर लें
ayaṃ carati loke 'smin bhūtasākṣī sadāgatiḥ | eṣa me muñcatu prāṇān yadi pāpaṃ carāmy aham ||
ブリハダシュヴァは言った。「この世を遍く巡り、常に動き続け、あらゆる生きものの証人である者――風神よ、もし私が罪を犯したのなら、我が命の息を奪い去れ。」
बृहदश्चव उवाच
The verse highlights moral accountability: since the wind moves everywhere and is a witness to all beings, one invokes it as a divine witness to truth, accepting the gravest consequence (loss of life) if one has acted sinfully.
Bṛhadaśva makes a solemn self-imprecatory oath, calling upon the ever-moving wind—present everywhere—as a universal witness, and declares that if he has committed wrongdoing, the deity may take his life.