Shloka 17
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
तो भी तुम शरणागतके त्यागको कैसे अच्छा मानते हो? यह मेरी समझमें नहीं आता। विहंगम! वास्तवमें तुम्हारा यह उद्योग केवल भोजन प्राप्त करनेके लिये है ।। शव्यश्चाप्यन्यथा कर्तुमाहारो5प्यधिकस्त्वया | गोवृषो वा वराहो वा मृगो वा महिषो5पि वा । त्वदर्थमद्य क्रियतां यच्चान्यदिह काड्क्षसि,परंतु तुम्हारे लिये आहारका प्रबन्ध तो दूसरे प्रकारसे भी किया जा सकता है और वह इस कबूतरकी अपेक्षा अधिक हो सकता है। सूअर, हिरन, भैंसा या कोई उत्तम पशु अथवा अन्य जो कोई भी वस्तु तुम्हें अभीष्ट हो वह तुम्हारे लिये प्रस्तुत की जा सकती है
śyena uvāca | śavyaś cāpy anyathā kartum āhāro 'py adhikas tvayā | govṛṣo vā varāho vā mṛgo vā mahiṣo 'pi vā | tvad-artham adya kriyatāṃ yac cānyad iha kāṅkṣasi ||
The hawk said: “Food can be arranged for you in another way—indeed, in greater measure than this pigeon. Let a fine bull, or a boar, or a deer, or even a buffalo be prepared today for your sake; or whatever else you desire here. Your effort, O bird, is truly only to obtain food—so how can you regard the abandonment of one who has sought refuge as acceptable?”
श्येन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sharpens the ethical tension between hunger-driven violence and the dharma of protecting one who has sought refuge (śaraṇāgata). It questions whether mere appetite can justify abandoning the duty of protection, and suggests alternative means that avoid violating refuge-protection.
In the well-known hawk–pigeon episode, the hawk argues that the host (addressed as ‘bird’) can provide it other food—larger animals or anything desired—rather than surrendering the pigeon that has come for protection. The speech frames the hawk’s pursuit as motivated by food and challenges the moral acceptability of giving up a refugee.