युधिष्ठिर उवाच
भवान् एतादृशो लोके वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः ॥
ब्रूहि किं कुर्वतः कर्म भवेद् गतिर् अनुत्तमा ॥
सर्प उवाच
पात्रे दत्त्वा प्रियाण्य् उक्त्वा सत्यम् उक्त्वा च भारत ॥
अहिंसानिरतः स्वर्गं गच्छेद् इति मतिर् मम ॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
दानाद् वा सर्प सत्याद् वा किम् अतो गुरु दृश्यते ॥
अहिंसाप्रिययोश् चैव गुरुलाघवम् उच्यताम् ॥
सर्प उवाच
दाने रतत्वं सत्यं च अहिंसा प्रियम् एव च ॥
एषां कार्यगरीयस्त्वाद् दृश्यते गुरुलाघवम् ॥
कस्माच् चिद् दानयोगाद् धि सत्यम् एव विशिष्यते ॥
सत्यवाक्याच् च राजेन्द्र किं चिद् दानं विशिष्यते ॥
एवम् एव महेष्वास प्रियवाक्यान् महीपते ॥
अहिंसा दृश्यते गुर्वी ततश् च प्रियम् इष्यते ॥
एवम् एतद् भवेद् राजन् कार्यापेक्षम् अनन्तरम् ॥
यद् अभिप्रेतम् अन्यत् ते ब्रूहि यावद् ब्रवीम्य् अहम् ॥
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
bhavān etādṛśo loke vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ ||
brūhi kiṃ kurvataḥ karma bhaved gatir anuttamā ||
sarpa uvāca
pātre dattvā priyāṇy uktvā satyam uktvā ca bhārata ||
ahiṃsānirataḥ svargaṃ gacched iti matir mama ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
dānād vā sarpa satyād vā kim ato guru dṛśyate ||
ahiṃsāpriyayoś caiva gurulāghavam ucyatām ||
sarpa uvāca
dāne ratatvaṃ satyaṃ ca ahiṃsā priyam eva ca ||
eṣāṃ kāryagarīyastvād dṛśyate gurulāghavam ||
kasmāc cid dānayogād dhi satyam eva viśiṣyate ||
satyavākyāc ca rājendra kiṃ cid dānaṃ viśiṣyate ||
evam eva maheṣvāsa priyavākyān mahīpate ||
ahiṃsā dṛśyate gurvī tataś ca priyam iṣyate ||
evam etad bhaved rājan kāryāpekṣam anantaram ||
yad abhipretam anyat te brūhi yāvad bravīmy aham ||
Yudhishthira said: 'You are one who has mastered the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas. Tell me: what action leads to the highest goal?' The serpent said: 'Giving to the worthy, speaking pleasant words, speaking the truth, and being devoted to non-violence — by this, I think, one goes to heaven.' Yudhishthira said: 'Which seems weightier, serpent — the gift or the truth? And tell me which carries greater or lesser weight, non-violence or pleasant speech.' The serpent said: 'Devotion to giving, truthfulness, non-violence, and pleasant speech each have their weight and lightness depending on the deed. In one case, in connection with giving, truth alone prevails; in another, O king, some gift surpasses truthful speech. Likewise, great archer, lord of the earth: sometimes non-violence appears weightier than pleasant speech, and sometimes pleasant speech becomes the more desired. So it is, O king, depending on the deed. If you have another question in mind, speak, and I will answer it.'
bfef17b39376 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:12:45 PM UTC
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Nahusha offers no mechanical morality. Dharma demands discernment: truth, giving, non-violence, and gentle speech must each be applied with an understanding of place, time, and purpose.