Shloka 35
नलस्य बाहुकत्वेन ऋतुपर्णनगरप्रवेशः
Nala as Bāhuka enters Ṛtuparṇa’s city
अथवा त्वं वनपते नल॑ यदि न शंससि । मां खादय मृगश्रेष्ठ दु:खादस्माद् विमोचय,“अथवा वनराज मृगश्रेष्ठी यदि आप नलके विषयमें कुछ नहीं बताते हैं तो मुझे खा जायेँ और इस दुःखसे छुटकारा दे दें”
athavā tvaṃ vanapate nala yadi na śaṃsasi | māṃ khādaya mṛgaśreṣṭha duḥkhād asmād vimocaya ||
Bằng không, hỡi chúa rừng! Nếu ngài chẳng chịu nói gì về Nala, thì xin hãy nuốt thiếp đi, hỡi loài thú bậc nhất, để giải thoát thiếp khỏi nỗi khổ này.
बृहृदश्च उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the extremity of grief: when a person is overwhelmed by sorrow and uncertainty, they may seek even death as an escape. Ethically, it underscores the need for truthful speech and compassionate response to the suffering of others, since withholding vital information can intensify despair.
The speaker addresses a 'lord of the forest'—a foremost beast—and pleads: if it will not disclose anything about Nala, then it should devour him and thereby end his misery. The line conveys urgent desperation within the Nala-related episode being recounted in this section.