Shloka 5
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
प्रस्पन्दमान: सम्भ्रान्त: कपोत: श्येन लक्ष्यते । मत्सकाशं जीवितार्थी तस्य त्यागो विगर्हित:
prasphandamānaḥ sambhrāntaḥ kapotaḥ śyena lakṣyate | matsakāśaṃ jīvitārthī tasya tyāgo vigarhitaḥ |
Le faucon dit : «Regarde : ce pauvre pigeon tremble, saisi d’une terreur totale. Ne cherchant qu’à sauver sa vie, il est venu à moi pour refuge. En un tel état, l’abandonner serait hautement blâmable.»
श्येन उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.