Shloka 4
Taḍāga-Phala and Vṛkṣāropaṇa
Merit of Ponds and Tree-Planting
प्रजानाथ! तब विप्ररूपधारी सूर्यने हाथ जोड़ प्रणाम करके मधुर वाणीद्वारा यों कहा -- ३ || चलं॑ निमित्तं विप्रर्षे सदा सूर्यस्य गच्छत: । कथं चल भेत्स्यसि त्वं सदा यान्तं दिवाकरम्
Prajānātha! tataḥ viprarūpadhārī sūryaḥ hastāñjalinā praṇamya madhurayā vāṇyā evaṃ uvāca — calaṃ nimittaṃ viprarṣe sadā sūryasya gacchataḥ | kathaṃ calaṃ bhetsyasi tvaṃ sadā yāntaṃ divākaram ||
「生きとし生けるものの主よ！ そのとき太陽はバラモンの姿をとり、合掌して礼拝し、柔らかな言葉でこう言った。『バラモンの聖仙よ、あなたの狙いは動く的であり、太陽もまた常に動いている。ゆえに、移ろう標をいかにして射抜くのか—絶えず旅を続ける日輪を、いかにして射当てるのか。』」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the challenge of pursuing a goal that is inherently unstable or constantly changing. Ethically, it cautions against overconfidence and invites discernment: one must recognize the nature of the objective and cultivate the steadiness, method, and humility required to meet a difficult task—especially when the ‘target’ is as relentless as time and the Sun’s motion.
Bhishma narrates that the Sun, disguised as a brahmin, respectfully addresses a brahmin-seer and questions the feasibility of his aim: since the Sun is always moving, how can the sage hope to pierce such a shifting target? The speech functions as a test and a probing challenge within the story’s dialogue.