Shloka 27
Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra
पुनश्चोत्कृत्य मांसानि राजा प्रादादुशीनर:
punaś cotkṛtya māṃsāni rājā prādād uśīnaraḥ | kintu dvitīye palaḍe sthāpitaḥ kapotaḥ tāni māṃsāni atikramya gurutaro babhūva | tataḥ mahārāja uśīnaro punaḥ punaḥ svamāṃsaṃ nikṛtya āropayām āsa | evaṃ bahuśaḥ kṛte'pi yadā tat māṃsaṃ kapotasya tulyaṃ na babhūva, tadā sarvamāṃsaṃ nikṛtya sa svayam eva tulāyām āruroha ||
Lomaśa berkata: Raja Uśīnara kembali memotong daging dari tubuhnya dan meletakkannya di timbangan. Namun merpati di sisi lain tetap lebih berat. Maka sang maharaja berulang kali memotong dan mempersembahkan lebih banyak daging. Ketika tetap tak seimbang, setelah memotong sebanyak yang ia mampu, akhirnya ia sendiri naik ke atas neraca itu.
लोगमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s dharma is to protect one who seeks refuge, even at great personal cost. The episode highlights uncompromising commitment to compassion, truth, and the ethical duty of sheltering the vulnerable.
To save the dove, King Uśīnara offers his own flesh on a balance as a substitute. The dove remains heavier each time, so the king continues cutting and offering more until he finally places his own body on the scale, demonstrating total self-offering to uphold his pledge.