Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 100: Rāma Instructs Bharata About the Duties of a KingText 2.100.51
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 100: Rāma Instructs Bharata About the Duties of a King
Text 2.100.51
कच्चिन्नागवनं गुप्तं कच्चित्ते सन्ति धेनुकाः।
कच्चिन्न गणिकाश्वानां कुञ्जराणां च तृप्यसि।।
kaccin nāga-vanaṁ guptaṁ kaccit te santi dhenukāḥ
kaccin na gaṇikāśvānāṁ kuñjarāṇāṁ ca tṛpyasi
kaccit = is; nāga-vanam = the elephant habitat; guptam = protected; kaccit = do; te = You; santi = have; dhenukāḥ = female elephants 13; kaccit = I hope; na = not; gaṇikā-āśvānām = female elephants as well as horses 14; kuñjarāṇām = with procuring male; ca = and; tṛpyasi = You are content.
Is the elephant habitat protected? Do You have female elephants? I hope You are not content with procuring male and female elephants as well as horses.
The elephant habitat refers to the place where elephants are born [and grown]. It is implied that if the elephant habitat is unprotected, opponents can take the elephants.
“Do You have female elephants?” means “Do You have female elephants used to catch male elephants?”