ऋतुपर्णस्य विदर्भयात्रा-निश्चयः तथा बाहुकस्य हयपरिक्षा (Ṛtuparṇa’s resolve to go to Vidarbha and Bāhuka’s examination of horses)
तत् कुरुष्व नरव्यात्र दयां मयि नरर्षभ । आनुृशंस्यं परो धर्मस्त्वत्त एव हि मे श्रुतः,“नरव्याप्र! नरोत्तम! मुझपर दया करो। मैंने तुम्हारे ही मुखसे सुन रखा है कि दयालुता सबसे बड़ा धर्म है”
tat kuruṣva naravyāghra dayāṃ mayi nararṣabha | ānṛśaṃsyaṃ paro dharmas tvatta eva hi me śrutaḥ ||
那么就请如此行吧,噢人中之虎、人中之雄——怜悯我。因为我曾亲耳从你口中听闻:仁慈与悲悯乃是至高的正法。
युदेव उवाच
The verse elevates ānṛśaṃsya—kindness and non-cruelty—as the supreme dharma, urging that moral excellence is shown through compassion even when one has power over another.
Yudeva addresses a powerful man with honorific epithets and pleads for mercy, strengthening the request by citing the addressee’s own stated belief that compassion is the highest duty.