Shloka 63
Droṇa’s Ācārya-Dakṣiṇā: Capture of Drupada and Division of Pāñcāla (द्रोण-आचार्यदक्षिणा)
ततो वासुकिरभ्येत्य नागैरनुगतस्तदा
tato vāsukir abhyetya nāgair anugatas tadā
ततो वासुकिर्नागैः सहाभ्येत्य तदा भीमं भीमपराक्रमं महाबाहुं ददर्श। तस्मिन्नेव काले नागराजोऽप्यार्यकस्तं ददर्श—यः पृथाया जनकस्य शूरसेनस्य नानासीत्। स स्वदौहित्रस्य दौहित्रं दृढं परिष्वज्य वक्षसि संपीड्य हृष्टोऽभवत्। महायशा नागराजो वासुकिरपि भीमसेनं प्रति परमं प्रीतिमवाप्याब्रवीत्—“अस्य किं प्रियं क्रियताम्? धनौघः सुवर्णं रत्ननिचयश्चास्य प्रदीयताम्।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights dharmic kinship and gratitude: elders recognize and protect their descendants, and honor is expressed through affectionate welcome and appropriate gifts. Power is framed within relationship and responsibility, not mere dominance.
Vāsuki arrives with the Nāgas and sees Bhīma. Āryaka, an ancestral Nāga-king connected to Bhīma through Pṛthā’s lineage, recognizes him, embraces him warmly, and Vāsuki proposes honoring Bhīma by doing a pleasing service and offering wealth, gold, and jewels.