नलस्य बाहुकत्वेन ऋतुपर्णनगरप्रवेशः
Nala as Bāhuka enters Ṛtuparṇa’s city
कच्चिद् दृष्टस्त्वयारण्ये संगत्येह नलो नृप: । को नु मे वाथ प्रष्टव्यो वनेडस्मिन् प्रस्थितं नलम्,“क्या तुमने इस वनमें राजा नलसे मिलकर उन्हें देखा है?” ऐसा प्रश्न अब मैं इस वनमें प्रस्थान करनेवाले नलके विषयमें किससे करूँ?
kaccid dṛṣṭas tvayāraṇye saṅgatyeha nalo nṛpaḥ | ko nu me vātha praṣṭavyo vane 'smin prasthitaṃ nalam ||
布利哈达湿瓦说道:“你可曾在这林中见到那罗王——与他相逢并亲眼见过?若不然,在这荒野里,我如今还能向谁打听那已启程远去的那罗?”
बृहृदश्च उवाच
The verse highlights the human duty of concern and responsible inquiry: when someone is lost or has departed into hardship, one should actively seek reliable information and help, rather than remain indifferent.
Bṛhadaśva questions his interlocutor about whether he has encountered King Nala in the forest; failing that, he laments that there is no one left to ask about Nala’s whereabouts after Nala has departed.