Shloka 9
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
भक्ष्याद् वियोजितस्याद्य मम प्राणा विशाम्पते । विसृज्य कायमेष्यन्ति पन्थानमकुतोभयम्
bhakṣyād viyojitasya adya mama prāṇā viśāmpate | visṛjya kāyam eṣyanti panthānam akutobhayam prajānātha ||
Le faucon dit : «Ô seigneur des peuples, aujourd’hui tu m’as privé de la nourriture qui m’est due. Ainsi, mon souffle vital quittera ce corps et prendra la voie sans crainte — la mort. Et lorsque je mourrai, ma femme, mes enfants et ceux qui dépendent de moi périront aussi, faute d’appui. Ainsi, en protégeant une seule colombe, tu manques de protéger bien d’autres vies qui reposent sur moi.»
श्येन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-conflict: protecting one vulnerable being (the pigeon) can unintentionally harm others (the hawk’s dependents). It highlights that ethical action must consider wider consequences and competing claims, not only immediate compassion.
The hawk argues with the king who has granted refuge to a pigeon. Denied its prey, the hawk claims it will die of hunger, and that its family will also be ruined—pressuring the king to resolve the dilemma of sheltering the pursued while not destroying the pursuer’s livelihood.