Shloka 15
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
राजन! वह वेगशाली मृग अपनी इच्छासे ही राजाके निकट आ-आकर पुनः बड़े वेगसे आगे भागता था ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | rājan, sa vegavān mṛgaḥ svayameva rājñaḥ samīpam āgatya punar mahāvegāt purato ’padhāvati sma || sa tasya bāṇair bahubhiḥ samabhyastaḥ vane-caraḥ | prakrīḍann iva rājendra punar abhyeti cāntikam ||
ビーシュマは言った。「王よ、その俊敏な鹿は、自ら進んで王の近くへ幾度も寄っては、たちまち大いなる速さで前へと走り去った。王の放った多くの矢がその身に突き立っていながらも、森をさまようその鹿は、まるで戯れるかのように、たびたび王の間近へ戻って来ては、王をまた追わせたのだ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a target seems within reach, repeated provocation can be a trap: a ruler should not let excitement, pride, or fascination override discernment. The deer’s ‘playful’ returns illustrate how the mind can be drawn into unwise pursuit despite clear signs of harm or futility.
A swift deer, though pierced by many arrows, repeatedly comes close to the king and then bolts away again, as if teasing him. The scene functions as an illustrative example within Bhishma’s instruction, highlighting the dynamics of lure, pursuit, and the need for controlled judgment.