Shloka 28
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
न विद्यते यदा मांसं कपोतेन सम॑ धृतम् । तत उत्कृत्तमांसोडसावारुरोह स्वयं तुलाम्
na vidyate yadā māṁsaṁ kapotena samaṁ dhṛtam | tata utkṛttamāṁso 'sāv āruroha svayaṁ tulām |
Lomaśa dit : «Lorsque la chair qu’il avait coupée n’égala pas le poids de la colombe, ce roi—après s’être tranché la chair à maintes reprises—monta enfin lui-même sur la balance.»
लोगमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as steadfast protection and compassion: when a vow to shelter the weak conflicts with personal safety, the righteous king chooses self-sacrifice rather than abandon the one who sought refuge.
In the famous Śibi/Uśīnara episode, the king tries to compensate for a pigeon’s life by placing his own flesh on a scale. When the flesh still does not balance the pigeon’s weight, he finally steps onto the scale himself, offering his entire body to uphold his promise.