Shloka 216
कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः
Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative
आतिथ्यं दीयतामेतत् काडक्षितं मे चिरं प्रति । और कहा--'मैंने अपने बाहुबलसे सारी पृथ्वीको जीत लिया है तथा सम्पूर्ण शत्रुओंका संहार कर डाला है। अब आप दोनोंसे युद्ध करनेकी इच्छा लेकर इस पर्वतपर आया हूँ। यही मेरा चिरकालसे अभिलषित मनोरथ है। आप अतिथि-सत्कारके रूपमें इसे ही पूर्ण कर दीजिये
ātithyaṃ dīyatām etat kāṅkṣitaṃ me ciraṃ prati |
毗舍摩波耶那说道：“请赐我这份待客之礼——这是我久已渴望之事。我凭臂力征服了整个大地，歼灭了所有仇敌。如今我怀着与汝二人一战之愿来到此山。愿汝以款待宾客之供献，成全我这长久珍藏的夙愿。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension between atithi-dharma (honoring a guest) and the misuse of that norm: the speaker frames a violent demand (combat) as ‘hospitality,’ showing how dharmic language can be invoked to legitimize personal ambition and pride.
A boastful challenger addresses two opponents, claiming he has already conquered the earth and slain his enemies. He has come to a mountain specifically to fight them and asks them to ‘grant’ this fight as the hospitality owed to a guest.