Viṣṇor Māhātmya and Indriya-saṃyama (विष्णोर्माहात्म्यं तथा इन्द्रियसंयमः)
स तु बद्धाञज्जलिं सत्यमयाचद्धरिण: पुनः । सत्येन स परिष्वज्य संदिष्टो गम्पतामिति
sa tu baddhāñjaliṃ satyam ayācad dhariṇaḥ punaḥ | satyena sa pariṣvajya saṃdiṣṭo gampatām iti ||
Les paumes jointes en signe de révérence, Satyam se tint debout et supplia de nouveau le cerf. Mais le cerf, encore une fois, demanda à être offert en oblation. Satyam l’étreignit du fond du cœur et, avec une tendre fermeté, lui dit : « Va-t’en d’ici. »
नारद उवाच
The verse foregrounds dharma expressed as compassion and restraint: even when a creature seeks self-offering, the righteous response is to protect life, respond with empathy, and guide away from harm.
Satyam stands with folded hands, pleading with the deer; the deer again asks to be given as an oblation. Satyam embraces it and gently orders it to leave, signaling protection rather than acceptance of the deer’s self-sacrificial request.