Shloka 5

Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra

Devanagari script

प्रस्पन्दमान: सम्भ्रान्त: कपोत: श्येन लक्ष्यते । मत्सकाशं जीवितार्थी तस्य त्यागो विगर्हित:,बाज! देखो तो यह बेचारा कबूतर किस प्रकार भयसे व्याकुल हो थर-थर काँप रहा है। इसने अपने प्राणोंकी रक्षाके लिये ही मेरी शरण ली है। ऐसी दशामें इसे त्याग देना बड़ी ही निन्दाकी बात है। जो मनुष्य ब्राह्मणोंकी हत्या करता है, जो जगन्माता गौका वध करता है तथा जो शरणमें आये हुए को त्याग देता है, इन तीनोंको समान पाप लगता है

Transliteration

prasphandamānaḥ sambhrāntaḥ kapotaḥ śyena lakṣyate | matsakāśaṃ jīvitārthī tasya tyāgo vigarhitaḥ |

Translation

El halcón dijo: «Mira: esta pobre paloma tiembla y está presa de un terror absoluto. Buscando solo salvar la vida, ha venido a mí en busca de refugio. En tal estado, abandonarla sería profundamente censurable.»

Word by Word

प्रस्पन्दमानःtrembling, quivering

सम्भ्रान्तःagitated, frightened, bewildered

कपोतःpigeon, dove

श्येनःhawk, falcon

लक्ष्यतेis seen/observed

मत्सकाशम्near me, in my presence

जीवितार्थीseeking life (for survival)

तस्यof him/its

त्यागःabandonment, giving up

विगर्हितःblameworthy, censured

बाजO hawk! (address)

Speaker

श्येन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śyena (hawk)

Kapota (pigeon)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One must not abandon a being who has come seeking protection out of fear for its life; deserting a supplicant/refuge-seeker is presented as morally reprehensible and contrary to dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

The hawk points out the pigeon’s visible terror and trembling and argues that since the pigeon has approached for refuge to save its life, casting it off would be blameworthy—framing the moment as a test of righteous conduct toward the vulnerable.