Shloka 44
नलस्य बाहुकत्वेन ऋतुपर्णनगरप्रवेशः
Nala as Bāhuka enters Ṛtuparṇa’s city
राजा विदर्भाधिपति: पिता मम महारथ: । भीमो नाम क्षितिपतिक्षातुर्वर्ण्यस्य रक्षिता,“विदर्भदेशके स्वामी महारथी भीम नामक राजा मेरे पिता हैं। वे पृथ्वीके पालक तथा चारों वर्णोके रक्षक हैं
rājā vidarbhādhipatiḥ pitā mama mahārathaḥ | bhīmo nāma kṣitipatiś cāturvarṇyasya rakṣitā |
พระบิดาของข้าพเจ้าคือพระราชา ‘ภีมะ’ ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งวิทรภะ เป็นมหารถีผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ ทรงเป็นผู้พิทักษ์แผ่นดินและคุ้มครองชนทั้งสี่วรรณะ
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames ideal kingship as protective responsibility: a ruler’s dharma is to safeguard the realm and uphold the social-ethical order (cāturvarṇya), ensuring security and the proper functioning of duties across society.
Bṛhadaśva identifies a key figure in the background of the story by stating his own lineage: his father is Bhīma, the powerful king of Vidarbha, described as a great warrior and as a guardian of the kingdom’s social order.