Shloka 43
ऋतुपर्णस्य विदर्भयात्रा-निश्चयः तथा बाहुकस्य हयपरिक्षा (Ṛtuparṇa’s resolve to go to Vidarbha and Bāhuka’s examination of horses)
तत् कुरुष्व नरव्यात्र दयां मयि नरर्षभ । आनुृशंस्यं परो धर्मस्त्वत्त एव हि मे श्रुतः,“नरव्याप्र! नरोत्तम! मुझपर दया करो। मैंने तुम्हारे ही मुखसे सुन रखा है कि दयालुता सबसे बड़ा धर्म है”
tat kuruṣva naravyāghra dayāṃ mayi nararṣabha | ānṛśaṃsyaṃ paro dharmas tvatta eva hi me śrutaḥ ||
Faz, pois, assim, ó tigre entre os homens, ó touro entre os homens—mostra compaixão por mim. Pois dos teus próprios lábios ouvi que a bondade e a misericórdia são a mais alta forma de dharma.
युदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates ānṛśaṃsya—kindness and non-cruelty—as the supreme dharma, urging that moral excellence is shown through compassion even when one has power over another.
Yudeva addresses a powerful man with honorific epithets and pleads for mercy, strengthening the request by citing the addressee’s own stated belief that compassion is the highest duty.