Shloka 27
Jaratkāru’s Marital Compact and Departure (जरत्कारु–जरत्कारुणी संवादः)
कृत्वा तेषां च कार्याणि गम्यतामित्युवाच तान् | गतेषु तेषु नागेषु तापसच्छझरूपिषु
kṛtvā teṣāṃ ca kāryāṇi gamyatām ity uvāca tān | gateṣu teṣu nāgeṣu tāpasacchannarūpiṣu |
Setelah menyempurnakan segala adat penghormatan dan khidmat yang sewajarnya kepada para tetamu itu, baginda bertitah kepada mereka, “Kini kamu boleh berangkat.” Apabila para Nāga—yang menyamar dalam rupa pertapa—telah pergi, raja pun bertitah kepada para menteri dan sahabat karibnya: “Inilah buah-buahan yang amat lazat, dibawa oleh para pertapa; kamu semua pun makanlah bersama beta.” Dengan kata-kata itu, raja bersama para menterinya berhasrat mengambil buah-buahan tersebut, tanpa menyedari tipu daya yang tersembunyi di balik rupa kesucian.
तक्षक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how outward signs of holiness can be misused for harm, warning that discernment must accompany respect. It also shows the ethical tension between proper hospitality toward apparent ascetics and the danger of uncritical trust when deception is at work.
Takṣaka’s Nāga agents, disguised as ascetics, depart after receiving hospitality. Once they leave, the king tells his ministers and friends that the fruits brought by the ‘ascetics’ are very tasty and invites them to eat together, not realizing the visitors were Nāgas in disguise and that the gift is part of a plot.