Shloka 101
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
क्ररश्चायं वनोद्देशो भयमद्य भविष्यति । त्यज्यतां काष्ठभूतो<यं मृष्यतां जाम्बुकं वच:
krūraś cāyaṁ vanoddeśo bhayam adya bhaviṣyati | tyajyatāṁ kāṣṭhabhūto 'yaṁ mṛṣyatāṁ jāmbukaṁ vacaḥ ||
वनाचा हा भाग क्रूर आहे; आज येथे भय नक्कीच उद्भवेल। हा बालक तर काष्ठासारखा निष्प्राण झाला आहे—याला सोडा, आणि कोल्ह्याच्या बोलण्याला भुलू नका।
गृध्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
In a perilous situation, one should not be misled by persuasive but self-serving counsel; discernment (viveka) and awareness of immediate danger are essential, even when emotions pull toward attachment.
A vulture warns that the forest region is dangerous and that fear is imminent; seeing the child as already lifeless, it urges others to abandon the child and not to follow the jackal’s tempting words.