Shloka 19
Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā
Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants
(चिन्तयामास च तदा शरभ: श्वानपूर्वकः । अस्य प्रभावात् सम्प्राप्तो वाड्मात्रेण तु केवलम् ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | cintayāmāsa ca tadā śarabhaḥ śvānapūrvakaḥ | asya prabhāvāt samprāpto vāṅmātreṇa tu kevalam || śarabhatvaṃ suduṣprāpaṃ sarvabhūtabhayaṅkaram || anye 'py atra bhayatrastāḥ santi hastibhayārditāḥ | munim āśritya jīvanto mṛgāḥ pakṣigaṇās tathā | teṣām api kadācic ca śarabhatvaṃ prayacchati || sarvasattvottamaṃ loke balaṃ yatra pratiṣṭhitam | pakṣiṇām apy ayaṃ dadyāt kadācit gāruḍaṃ balam || yāvad anyasya samprītaḥ kāruṇyaṃ ca samāśritaḥ | na dadāti balaṃ tuṣṭaḥ sattvasyānyasya kasyacit || tāvad enam ahaṃ vipraṃ vadhiṣyāmi ca śīghrataḥ | sthātuṃ mayā śakyam iha munighātān na saṃśayaḥ || tatas tena tapaḥśaktyā vidito jñānacakṣuṣā |
毘湿摩は語った。すると、かつて犬であったシャラバは思案した。「この牟尼の威徳により、ただその言葉ひとつで、私は得難きシャラバの身を得た。万有の生きものを震え上がらせる存在である。この地には、象や他の危難を恐れて苦しみつつも、牟尼の庇護に依って生きる鹿や鳥の群れが多い。いつの日か彼は彼らにも、世のあらゆる生類に勝る力の宿るシャラバの身を授けるかもしれぬ。さらには鳥たちに、ガルダ（Garuḍa）のごとき力を与えることさえあり得る。ゆえに、彼が慈悲に動かされ、他の生きものを喜んで、そのような力を誰かに授ける前に、私はこの婆羅門の牟尼を速やかに殺そう。牟尼が討たれれば、私はここに恐れなく留まれる。疑いはない。」 そのとき牟尼は、苦行の力と智慧の眼によって、その企てを知った。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power gained through another’s grace can breed arrogance and fear-driven cruelty; plotting harm against a benefactor—especially a sage—is portrayed as grave adharma, and spiritual insight (tapas, jñānacakṣuṣ) is shown as a safeguard that exposes hidden malice.
A creature who has been transformed into the formidable Śarabha by a sage’s mere words becomes anxious that the sage might grant similar power to other protected animals; to preserve his dominance, he resolves to kill the sage, but the sage perceives the intention through ascetic knowledge.