Shloka 12
कर्कोटक-उपदेशः
Karkoṭaka’s Counsel and Nala’s Concealment
कथं नु राज॑स्तृषित: क्षुधित: श्रमकर्षित: । सायाह्ले वृक्षमूलेषु मामपश्यन् भविष्यसि,“राजन! आप भूखे-प्यासे और परिश्रमसे थके-माँदे होकर जब सायंकाल किसी वृक्षके नीचे आकर विश्राम करेंगे, उस समय मुझे अपने पास न देखकर आपकी कैसी दशा हो जायगी?”
kathaṁ nu rājan tṛṣitaḥ kṣudhitaḥ śramakarṣitaḥ | sāyāhle vṛkṣamūleṣu mām apaśyan bhaviṣyasi ||
Tâu bệ hạ, khi người khát cháy, đói cồn cào, thân xác rã rời vì nhọc nhằn; đến chiều tối ngồi nghỉ dưới gốc cây mà chẳng thấy thiếp bên cạnh—khi ấy người sẽ ra sao?
ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of companionship and care: in hardship—hunger, thirst, fatigue—one’s well-being depends not only on physical shelter but also on the presence and support of a trusted companion or guide.
Bṛhadaśva addresses the king, imagining him in the forest at dusk, exhausted and seeking rest under a tree. He expresses concern about the king’s condition if the king does not find him present, underscoring the precariousness of life in exile and the need for guidance.