Shloka 176
Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā
Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants
फलमूलाशनं कर्तु नैच्छतू स पिशिताशन: । शरभ भी अत्यन्त प्रसन्न हो सदा प्राणियोंके वधमें तत्पर रहता था। वह मांसभोजी जीव फल-मूल खानेकी कभी इच्छा नहीं करता था
phalamūlāśanaṃ kartuṃ naicchatū sa piśitāśanaḥ | śarabho 'tyanta-prasanno hi sadā prāṇi-vadhe tatparaḥ | sa māṃsabhogī jīvaḥ phala-mūla-khādanāya kadācana necchati sma ||
ಭೀಷ್ಮನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಆ ಮಾಂಸಾಹಾರಿ ಫಲ-ಮೂಲಾಹಾರವನ್ನು ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಲು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಶರಭನು ಸ್ವಭಾವತಃ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಪ್ರಸನ್ನನಾಗಿ ಸದಾ ಪ್ರಾಣಿಹತ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತತ್ಪರನಾಗಿದ್ದನು. ಮಾಂಸಭೋಜಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದುದರಿಂದ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಫಲ-ಮೂಲಗಳನ್ನು ತಿನ್ನಬೇಕೆಂಬ ಆಸೆ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಉಂಟಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how ingrained disposition and habitual conduct shape ethical choices: a being devoted to killing and flesh-eating does not naturally incline toward a harmless, restrained diet. It implicitly points to the difficulty of turning from violence to non-violence without deliberate transformation.
Bhishma describes the Śarabha as a carnivorous creature that takes delight in hunting and killing. Because of this predatory nature, it refuses to adopt fruit-and-root eating, reinforcing the portrayal of its constant readiness for violence.