Shloka 23
कर्कोटक-उपदेशः
Karkoṭaka’s Counsel and Nala’s Concealment
हा नाथ मामिह वने ग्रस्यमानामनाथवत् | ग्राहेणानेन विजने किमर्थ नानुधावसि,(वह विलाप करती हुई कहने लगी--) “हा नाथ! इस निर्जन वनमें यह अजगर सर्प मुझे अनाथकी भाँति निगल रहा है। आप मेरी रक्षाके लिये दौड़कर आते क्यों नहीं हैं?
hā nātha mām iha vane grasyamānām anāthavat | grāheṇānena vijane kimarthaṁ nānudhāvasi ||
“Ôi chúa công! Ngay trong khu rừng này, thiếp đang bị nuốt chửng như kẻ không nơi nương tựa. Giữa chốn hoang vắng cô liêu, bị loài dữ này quắp lấy, cớ sao chàng không chạy đến cứu thiếp?”
ब॒हृदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic expectation of protection: one who is a ‘nātha’ (protector) is morally bound to respond swiftly to the helpless. It also underscores the human impulse to seek refuge and assistance in moments of peril.
A woman, in panic, cries out to her protector that in the lonely forest a great serpent/predator is swallowing her, and she reproaches him for not rushing to save her.