Shloka 176
Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā
Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants
फलमूलाशनं कर्तु नैच्छतू स पिशिताशन: । शरभ भी अत्यन्त प्रसन्न हो सदा प्राणियोंके वधमें तत्पर रहता था। वह मांसभोजी जीव फल-मूल खानेकी कभी इच्छा नहीं करता था
phalamūlāśanaṃ kartuṃ naicchatū sa piśitāśanaḥ | śarabho 'tyanta-prasanno hi sadā prāṇi-vadhe tatparaḥ | sa māṃsabhogī jīvaḥ phala-mūla-khādanāya kadācana necchati sma ||
قال بهيشما: إن ذلك الآكلَ للَّحم لم تكن له رغبةٌ في أن يتخذ غذاءً من الثمار والجذور. بل إن الشَّرَبَه (Śarabha) كان بالغَ الرضا بطبيعته، وكان دائمَ التطلع إلى قتل الكائنات الحية. ولأنه مخلوقٌ لاحمٌ، لم يشتهِ قط أكلَ الثمار والجذور.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how ingrained disposition and habitual conduct shape ethical choices: a being devoted to killing and flesh-eating does not naturally incline toward a harmless, restrained diet. It implicitly points to the difficulty of turning from violence to non-violence without deliberate transformation.
Bhishma describes the Śarabha as a carnivorous creature that takes delight in hunting and killing. Because of this predatory nature, it refuses to adopt fruit-and-root eating, reinforcing the portrayal of its constant readiness for violence.