Shloka 5
Cyavana’s Yogic Display and Kuśika’s Recognition of Tapas (च्यवन-योगप्रभावः कुशिकस्य तपःप्रशंसा च)
तत्पश्चात् राजा नहुष बोले--द्विजश्रेष्ठ! बताइये, मैं आपका कौन-सा प्रिय कार्य करूँ? भगवन्! आपकी आज्ञासे कितना ही कठिन कार्य क्यों न हो, मैं सब पूरा करूँगा ।।
cyavana uvāca | śrameṇa mahatā yuktāḥ kaivartā matsyajīvinaḥ | mama mūlyaṃ prayacchaibhyo matsyānāṃ vikrayaiḥ saha ||
Sesudah itu Raja Nahuṣa berkata: “Wahai yang terunggul antara para dwija, beritahulah aku apakah pekerjaan yang menyenangkan dapat aku lakukan untukmu. Bhagavan, menurut perintahmu, walau sesukar mana pun, akan aku sempurnakan semuanya.” Cyavana berkata: “Wahai Raja, para Kaivarta ini—nelayan yang menyara hidup dengan menangkap ikan—telah bersusah payah menarik aku keluar dengan jala mereka. Maka bayarlah kepada mereka juga harga yang patut bagiku, bersama hasil jualan ikan-ikan ini.”
च्यवन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical kingship: labor deserves fair compensation. Even when an extraordinary person is involved, the ordinary workers who exerted themselves must be paid their due, reinforcing dharma as justice toward those of lower social power.
After King Nahuṣa offers to fulfill Cyavana’s wish, Cyavana points to the fishermen who hauled him up in their net with great effort and instructs the king to pay them—not only for the fish they caught but also an additional ‘price’ for having recovered him.