निद्रापरवशाः पौरा नैव दास्यंति पावकम् । इत्थं विजयदत्तोऽसावुक्तः पित्रा ज्वरातुरः
nidrāparavaśāḥ paurā naiva dāsyaṃti pāvakam | itthaṃ vijayadatto'sāvuktaḥ pitrā jvarāturaḥ
“Orang kota dikuasai lena, mereka tidak akan memberikan api.” Demikianlah si bapa berkata kepada Vijayadatta yang menderita demam.
Father (with narrator framing)
Scene: A fever-stricken boy (Vijayadatta) lies shivering; father speaks with worry, while the town outside sleeps in darkness.
In times of suffering, one should respond with empathy and practical help, even when society is unresponsive.
The Setu region is the overarching setting of Setukhaṇḍa, but this verse itself does not praise a particular tīrtha.
No ritual act is prescribed here.