Shloka 4
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 10: Ruru’s Vow and Ḍuṇḍubha’s Appeal (रुरोः प्रतिज्ञा—डुण्डुभोपदेशः)
रुरुके दर्शनसे सहस्रपाद ऋषिकी सर्पयोनिसे मुक्ति एकानर्थान् पृथगर्थनिकदुःखान् पृथक्सुखान् । डुण्डुभान् धर्मविद् भूत्वा न त्वं हिंसितुमहसि,अहो! आश्चर्य है, बेचारे डुण्डुभ अनर्थ भोगनेमें सब सर्पोंके साथ एक हैं; परंतु उनका स्वभाव दूसरे सर्पोंसे भिन्न है तथा दुःख भोगनेमें तो वे सब सर्पोके साथ एक हैं; किंतु सुख सबका अलग-अलग है। तुम धर्मज्ञ हो, अतः तुम्हें डुण्डुभोंकी हिंसा नहीं करनी चाहिये
Ḍuṇḍrubha uvāca: ruru-ke darśanase sahasrapāda ṛṣikī sarpayonise mukti ekānarthān pṛthag-arthanikaduḥkhān pṛthaksukhān. ḍuṇḍubhān dharmavid bhūtvā na tvaṃ hiṃsitum arhasi; aho āścaryam—becāre ḍuṇḍubha anartha-bhoga-ne meṃ sab sarpoṃ ke sātha eka haiṃ; parantu unakā svabhāva dūsare sarpoṃ se bhinna hai tathā duḥkha-bhoga-ne meṃ to ve sab sarpoṃ ke sātha eka haiṃ; kintu sukha sabkā alag-alag hai. tuma dharmajña ho, ataḥ tumheṃ ḍuṇḍubhoṃ kī hiṃsā nahīṃ karnī cāhiye.
Sinabi ni Ḍuṇḍrubha: “O Ruru, bagaman iisa ang aming kapanganakang-ahas at magkakabigkis kami sa pagdurusa at kasawian, magkakaiba ang likas ng bawat nilalang, at ang anumang ligayang dumarating ay kanya-kanyang tinatamasa. Yamang ikaw ay nakaaalam ng dharma, huwag kang gagawa ng karahasan laban sa mga ḍuṇḍubha. Kaytaka—nagkakaisa kami sa kapahamakan, ngunit hindi sa ligaya.”
डुण्ड्रुभ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges restraint from violence (ahiṃsā) on the basis of dharma: even when beings seem blameworthy or belong to a feared group, a dharma-knower should not harm them, recognizing the complexity of shared suffering and individual experience.
Ḍuṇḍrubha addresses Ruru and argues against harming the ḍuṇḍubhas, pointing out that beings of serpent-birth are collectively bound to misfortune and suffering, while happiness is individually experienced; therefore Ruru, as a dharma-aware person, should refrain from killing.