Shloka 22
Adhyāya 73: Damayantī’s Investigation of Bāhuka
Keśinī’s Observations
कि कार्य स्वागत ते<स्तु राज्ञा पृष्ट: स भारत,भरतनन्दन युधिष्ठिर! विदर्भराजने स्वागत-पूर्वक ऋतुपर्णसे पूछा--“आपके यहाँ पधारनेका क्या कारण है?”
kiṁ kāryaṁ svāgataṁ te 'stu rājñā pṛṣṭaḥ sa bhārata bharatanandana yudhiṣṭhira | vidarbharājena svāgata-pūrvakam ṛtupārṇase pṛcchā—“bhavataḥ iha pādārpaṇe kāraṇaṁ kim?”
于是那位国王先以礼相迎，继而询问来意。噢，婆罗多啊，婆罗多族之欢悦——坚战啊：毗达婆之王便恭谨地问噜图帕尔那：“你来此有何缘故？”此景凸显王者礼法：先尽款待之道，然后方以敬意询其所求。
बृहदश्चव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic conduct in kingship: a ruler should first honor a guest with proper welcome and only then inquire into the visitor’s purpose, doing so respectfully and without suspicion.
Within Bṛhadaśva’s narration to Yudhiṣṭhira, the king of Vidarbha receives Ṛtupārṇa courteously and asks why he has come—setting up the next developments in the Nala episode.