Shloka 8
Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ
Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra
निष्प्रचारो निराहारो ग्लान: शिथिलवागपि । कृतज्ञः: सह वृक्षेण धर्मात्मा सो5प्यशुष्यत
niṣpracāro nirāhāro glānaḥ śithilavāk api | kṛtajñaḥ saha vṛkṣeṇa dharmātmā so 'py aśuṣyat ||
Bhīṣma dit : Le perroquet vertueux, par gratitude, cessa d’aller et venir et renonça à se nourrir. Faible et languissant, sa parole même s’affaiblit. Ainsi, demeurant auprès de cet arbre, il commença lui aussi à se dessécher avec lui—image morale d’une fidélité et d’une reconnaissance qui tiennent bon dans l’épreuve.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṛtajñatā (gratitude) as a dharmic virtue: one should remember and honor benefactors, remaining loyal even when circumstances turn painful, rather than abandoning them for self-interest.
A righteous parrot stays with a tree to which he is grateful. As the tree dries up, the parrot stops roaming, stops eating, becomes too weak to speak, and withers along with the tree—showing steadfast attachment born of gratitude.