Shloka 13
Haryaśva’s Agreement with Gālava and the Birth of Vasumanā
Nārada’s narration
अस्या: शुल्कं प्रदास्यन्ति नृपा राज्यमपि ध्रुवम् । कि पुन: श्यामकर्णानां हयानां द्वे चतु:ःशते
asyāḥ śulkaṃ pradāsyanti nṛpā rājyam api dhruvam | ki punaḥ śyāmakarṇānāṃ hayānāṃ dve catuḥśate ||
Nārada berkata: “Sebagai mas kahwin untuknya, para raja pasti akan menawarkan bahkan kerajaan mereka. Apatah lagi lapan ratus ekor kuda bertelinga gelap.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how desire for alliance or possession can make even sovereignty seem expendable, inviting ethical reflection on commodifying persons and treating political authority as a tradable asset rather than a dharmic responsibility.
Nārada emphasizes the immense ‘bride-price’ expected for a particular woman, stating that kings would even give away their kingdoms—so offering eight hundred prized horses would be trivial by comparison.