Shloka 12
वयं हि भवता सर्वे गुणक्रीता विशेषत: । यस्त्वमात्महितं त्यक्त्वा मामेवेहानुरुध्यसे
vayaṃ hi bhavatā sarve guṇakrītā viśeṣataḥ | yas tvam ātmahitaṃ tyaktvā mām evehānurudhyase ||
Nāga itu berkata: “Sesungguhnya, kami semua telah ditawan hatimu—terutama oleh kebajikanmu. Kerana engkau mengetepikan kepentingan dirimu sendiri dan di sini hanya memikirkan kesejahteraanku.”
नाग उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral authority arises from guṇa (virtue): when someone sets aside personal advantage (ātmahita) to seek another’s welfare, they ‘win’ hearts more powerfully than by force or bargaining. The verse praises selfless concern as an ethical ideal.
A Nāga addresses a benefactor and expresses gratitude, saying that the benefactor has effectively ‘purchased’ the goodwill of all the Nāgas through exemplary conduct—because the benefactor is prioritizing the Nāga’s well-being over their own interests in the present situation.