Shloka 14
Adhyāya 6: Pañca-mahābhūta–guṇa-nirdeśa and Sudarśana-dvīpa
Five Elements, Sensory Qualities, and a Cosmographic Island
विहग: सुमुखो यस्तु सुपर्णस्यथात्मज: किल । स वै विचिन्तयामास सौवर्णान् वीक्ष्य वायसान्
vihaṅgaḥ sumukho yas tu suparṇasyātha ātmajaḥ kila | sa vai vicintayāmāsa sauvarṇān vīkṣya vāyasān ||
संजय बोले— एक समय पक्षिराज गरुड़ के पुत्र सुमुख ने मेरु पर स्वर्ण-देह वाले कौवों को देखकर मन में विचार किया— ‘यह सुमेरु उत्तम, मध्यम और अधम पक्षियों में कोई भेद नहीं रखता; इसलिए मैं इसे छोड़ दूँगा।’ ऐसा निश्चय करके वह वहाँ से अन्यत्र चला गया।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The episode highlights ethical discernment (viveka): a place or system that erases meaningful distinctions between the worthy and the unworthy can be seen as morally confusing, prompting a principled person to withdraw rather than endorse such indiscrimination.
Sañjaya narrates that Sumukha, Garuḍa’s son, sees crows appearing golden (by association with Meru/Sumeru) and reflects that the mountain makes no difference between high and low birds; deciding this is undesirable, he leaves that place.