Shloka 7
Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ
Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra
तस्मिन् वक्षे तथाभूते कोटरेषु चिरोषित: । न जहाति शुको वासं तस्य भक्त्या वनस्पते:
tasmin vakṣe tathābhūte koṭareṣu ciroṣitaḥ | na jahāti śuko vāsaṃ tasya bhaktyā vanaspateḥ ||
ಆ ಮರವು ಅಂಥ ಸ್ಥಿತಿಗೆ ಬಂದರೂ, ಅದರ ಕೊಟರೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಹುಕಾಲ ವಾಸಿಸಿದ್ದ ಗಿಳಿ ತನ್ನ ವಾಸಸ್ಥಾನವನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆ ವನಸ್ಪತಿಯ ಮೇಲಿನ ಭಕ್ತಿ-ಆಸಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ, ಮರ ಒಣಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೂ ಅದು ಅಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಉಳಿಯಿತು.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic gratitude and loyalty: one should not abandon a benefactor or refuge merely because it has fallen into hardship. True bhakti/affection is tested when the object of support becomes weak.
Bhishma describes a parrot that has lived for a long time in the hollows of a tree. Even after the tree becomes withered or damaged, the parrot refuses to leave, staying out of devotion and attachment to the tree that sheltered it.