Shloka 3

Aṣṭāvakra–Kahoda Upākhyāna: Śvetaketu’s Āśrama, Sarasvatī, and the Origin of Aṣṭāvakra

Devanagari script

राजोवाच संत्रस्तरूपस्त्राणार्थी त्वत्तो भीतो महाद्विज । मत्सकाशमनुप्राप्त: प्राणगृध्नुर॒यं द्विज:,राजा बोले--पक्षिराज! यह कबूतर तुमसे डरकर घबराया हुआ है और अपने प्राण बचानेकी इच्छासे मेरे समीप आया है। यह अपनी रक्षा चाहता है। बाज! इस प्रकार अभय चाहनेवाले इस कबूतरको यदि मैं तुमको नहीं सौंप रहा हूँ, यह तो परम धर्म है। इसे तुम कैसे नहीं देख रहे हो?

Transliteration

rājovāca saṁtrastarūpas trāṇārthī tvatto bhīto mahādvija | matsakāśam anuprāptaḥ prāṇagṛdhnuḥ ayaṁ dvijaḥ ||

Translation

王は言った。「おお、偉大なる二度生まれの者よ。この鳩は汝を恐れておびえ、命を求めて我がもとへ庇護を乞うて来た。避難のために我が前に至り、救いを願っている。無畏を求めるこの鳩を汝に引き渡さぬことこそ、守護者の最高のダルマである。なぜそれが分からぬのか。」

Word by Word

राजाthe king

उवाचsaid/spoke

सन्त्रस्तरूपःhaving a terrified appearance

त्राणार्थीseeking protection

त्वत्तःfrom you

भीतःafraid

महाद्विजO great twice-born (brahmin)

मत्सकाशम्to/near me

अनुप्राप्तःhaving come/arrived

प्राणगृध्नुःdesirous of life (eager to save its life)

अयम्this

द्विजःthe bird (lit. twice-born)

Speaker

श्येन उवाच

Characters & Entities

rājā (the king)

śyena (hawk)

kapota (dove/pigeon)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler’s highest duty is to protect one who has sought refuge (abhaya). Even when pressured by a stronger claimant, abandoning a frightened suppliant violates rāja-dharma and the ethic of sheltering the vulnerable.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the hawk-and-dove episode, the dove flees to the king for protection. The hawk demands its prey, but the king argues that refusing to surrender a creature seeking fearlessness is the supreme duty of a protector, challenging the hawk’s claim.