Shloka 43
कपिल–स्यूमरश्मि संवादः
Kapila and Syūmaraśmi on Renunciation, Householder Support, and Epistemic Authority
अदंशमशके देशे सुखसंवर्धितान् पशून् । तांश्व मातुः प्रियाञ्जानन्नाक्रम्य बहुधा नरा:
adaṁśamaśake deśe sukhasaṁvardhitān paśūn | tāṁś ca mātuḥ priyān jānann ākramya bahudhā narāḥ ||
Tulādhāra said: “In lands free from biting insects and mosquitoes, animals are reared in comfort. Yet many men, even knowing that such creatures are dearly loved by their mothers and that separation will cause them anguish, forcibly seize them and drive them away—taking them to regions where there is an abundance of stinging insects, mosquitoes, and mire.”
तुलाधार उवाच
Educational Q&A
Tulādhāra highlights the hidden violence in ordinary human practices: even when people know animals are cherished by their mothers, they still forcibly separate and transport them into harsher conditions. The ethical point is that dharma requires sensitivity to suffering and not merely formal justifications for one’s livelihood.
In the Tulādhāra–Jājali dialogue of Śānti Parva, Tulādhāra responds to questions about what constitutes harm and righteousness. Here he gives an example from common life—capturing and relocating well-cared-for animals—to illustrate how humans often inflict suffering while ignoring the emotional bonds and distress involved.