Shloka 26
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
लोगमश उवाच उत्कृत्य स स्वयं मांसं राजा परमधर्मवित् | तोलयामास कौन्तेय कपोतेन सम॑ विभो,लोमशजी कहते हैं--कुन्तीनन्दन! तत्पश्चात् परम धर्मज्ञ राजा उशीनरने स्वयं अपना मांस काटकर उस कबूतरके साथ तौलना आरम्भ किया
lomaśa uvāca utkr̥tya sa svayaṁ māṁsaṁ rājā paramadharmavit | tolayāmāsa kaunteya kapotena samaṁ vibho ||
Lomaśa said: “O son of Kuntī, thereafter that king—supremely versed in dharma—cut off his own flesh with his own hand and began to weigh it out, equal to the dove, O mighty one.”
लोगमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is upheld not merely by intention but by costly action: a ruler must protect the helpless who seek refuge, even if it demands personal suffering. The king’s willingness to give his own flesh illustrates that compassion and protection of the dependent can outweigh self-preservation.
In the well-known Śibi/Uśīnara episode, a dove seeks the king’s protection. To honor the refuge given while addressing the demand for equivalent compensation, the king cuts his own flesh and weighs it against the dove, demonstrating steadfast adherence to dharma.