Shloka 47
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
विश्वामित्रो5हमायुष्मन्नागतो<हं बुभुक्षित: | मा वधीर्मम सदबुद्धे यदि सम्यक् प्रपश्यसि
Viśvāmitro 'ham āyuṣmann āgato 'haṃ bubhukṣitaḥ | mā vadhīr mama sadbuddhe yadi samyak prapaśyasi ||
“आयुष्मन्! मैं विश्वामित्र हूँ। भूख से पीड़ित होकर यहाँ आया हूँ। सद्बुद्धिवाले! यदि तू ठीक-ठीक देखता और समझता है, तो मेरा वध मत कर।”
घपच उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in situations shaped by social labels and fear, right discernment should guide action: a noble-minded person restrains violence and responds with compassion to genuine distress (here, hunger), recognizing the moral claim of a supplicant.
The sage Viśvāmitra, weakened by hunger, identifies himself to a Caṇḍāla and pleads for his life, urging him to see the situation correctly and not to kill him.