Shloka 35
कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः
Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative
मनसा नृपशार्दूल भवेत् परपुरंजय: । “नरेश्वर! नृपश्रेष्ठ! शत्रुनगरविजयी वीर पुरुष क्षत्रियधर्मको स्मरण रखते हुए कभी मनसे भी ऐसा व्यवहार नहीं कर सकता, जैसा कि तुमने किया है ।। मा च दर्पसमाविष्ट: क्षेप्सी: कांश्वचित् कथंचन
manasā nṛpaśārdūla bhavet parapuraṃjayaḥ | mā ca darpasamāviṣṭaḥ kṣepsīḥ kāṃśvacit kathaṃcana ||
Rama berkata: “Wahai harimau di antara raja-raja! Seorang pahlawan sejati, penakluk kota-kota musuh, tidak akan—bahkan dalam fikiran—bertindak seperti yang telah engkau lakukan. Dan janganlah, dikuasai keangkuhan, engkau menghina atau merendahkan sesiapa pun dengan apa jua cara.”
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s true valor is inseparable from restraint: even mentally one should not entertain ignoble conduct, and pride must not lead to insulting others. Conquest without humility and self-control is portrayed as contrary to kṣatriya-dharma.
Rama admonishes a king, addressing him honorifically as “tiger among kings,” yet rebuking his behavior as unworthy of a genuine conqueror. He warns him to abandon arrogance and to refrain from disparaging anyone.