Shloka 4
Taḍāga-Phala and Vṛkṣāropaṇa
Merit of Ponds and Tree-Planting
प्रजानाथ! तब विप्ररूपधारी सूर्यने हाथ जोड़ प्रणाम करके मधुर वाणीद्वारा यों कहा -- ३ || चलं॑ निमित्तं विप्रर्षे सदा सूर्यस्य गच्छत: । कथं चल भेत्स्यसि त्वं सदा यान्तं दिवाकरम्,“विप्रर्ष] आपका लक्ष्य तो चल है, सूर्य भी सदा चलते रहते हैं। अतः निरन्तर यात्रा करते हुए सूर्यरूपी चंचल लक्ष्यका आप किस प्रकार भेदन करेंगे?”
Prajānātha! tataḥ viprarūpadhārī sūryaḥ hastāñjalinā praṇamya madhurayā vāṇyā evaṃ uvāca — calaṃ nimittaṃ viprarṣe sadā sūryasya gacchataḥ | kathaṃ calaṃ bhetsyasi tvaṃ sadā yāntaṃ divākaram ||
„O Herr der Geschöpfe! Da nahm die Sonne die Gestalt eines Brahmanen an, faltete die Hände zum Gruß und sprach in sanften Worten: ‚O brahmanischer Seher, dein Ziel ist in Bewegung, und die Sonne ist stets unterwegs. Wie willst du ein wechselndes Ziel durchbohren—wie willst du die Sonne treffen, die unaufhörlich weiterzieht?‘“
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the challenge of pursuing a goal that is inherently unstable or constantly changing. Ethically, it cautions against overconfidence and invites discernment: one must recognize the nature of the objective and cultivate the steadiness, method, and humility required to meet a difficult task—especially when the ‘target’ is as relentless as time and the Sun’s motion.
Bhishma narrates that the Sun, disguised as a brahmin, respectfully addresses a brahmin-seer and questions the feasibility of his aim: since the Sun is always moving, how can the sage hope to pierce such a shifting target? The speech functions as a test and a probing challenge within the story’s dialogue.