Shloka 20
मधुकैटभवधोपाख्यानम्
The Account of the Slaying of Madhu and Kaiṭabha
नान्यद् दुःखतरं किज्चिल्लोकेषु प्रतिभाति मे । अर्थविंहीन: पुरुष: परै: सम्परिभूयते,निर्धन मनुष्यको जो दूसरोंसे तिरस्कृत होना पड़ता है, इससे बढ़कर महान् कष्टकी बात संसारमें मुझे और कोई नहीं जान पड़ती है
nānyad duḥkhataraṃ kiñcillokeṣu pratibhāti me | arthavihīnaḥ puruṣaḥ paraiḥ samparibhūyate ||
ബകൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ലോകങ്ങളിൽ എനിക്ക് ഇതിലേറെ ദുഃഖകരമായത് മറ്റൊന്നും തോന്നുന്നില്ല: ധനം ഇല്ലാത്ത മനുഷ്യനെ മറ്റുള്ളവർ അവഹേളിക്കുകയും അപമാനിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.
बक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a harsh social truth: lack of wealth often leads to humiliation by others. Ethically, it serves as a critique of valuing people by material status and invites reflection on compassion, respect, and the dignity owed to all persons regardless of means.
Baka is speaking and expressing his observation about worldly behavior: society tends to scorn the poor. The line functions as a reflective maxim within the episode, characterizing the speaker’s view of what constitutes the greatest worldly suffering.