Shloka 31
Adhyāya 71: Kaca and the Saṃjīvanī-vidyā
Devayānī–Śukra Episode
बभार यत्रास्य पुरा काले दुर्गे महात्मन: । दारान्मतड़ो धर्मात्मा राजर्षिव्याधतां गत:,विश्वामित्र महर्षि वे ही हैं, जिनकी पत्नीका पूर्वकालमें संकटके समय शापवश व्याध बने हुए धर्मात्मा राजर्षि मतंगने भरण-पोषण किया था
babhāra yatrāsya purā kāle durge mahātmanaḥ | dārān mataṅgo dharmātmā rājarṣir vyādhatāṃ gataḥ ||
Kanva nói: “Thuở trước, trong thời khốn nguy ấy, chính tại nơi đó, bậc vương thánh Mataṅga, người giữ trọn dharma—dẫu bị lời nguyền phải sống như một thợ săn—đã nuôi dưỡng và che chở cho người vợ của bậc đại hồn kia.”
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that dharma is measured by conduct, not by outward status. Even when reduced by a curse to the life of a hunter, Mataṅga remains dharmātmā by sustaining and protecting another in a time of danger.
Kaṇva recalls an earlier episode: during a crisis, Mataṅga—then living as a vyādha due to a curse—provided support and protection to the wife of a great-souled figure, indicating a past bond of help and moral obligation.