Duḥṣantasya Vana-praveśaḥ
King Duḥṣanta’s Entry into the Forest Hunt
इषीकया मया बाल्याद् विद्धा होका शकुन्तिका । तत् किल्बिषं स्मरे धर्म नान्यत् पापमहं स्मरे,'धर्मराज! पहले कभी मैंने बाल्यावस्थाके कारण सींकसे एक चिड़ियेके बच्चेको छेद दिया था। वही एक पाप मुझे याद आ रहा है। अपने दूसरे किसी पापका मुझे स्मरण नहीं है
iṣīkayā mayā bālyād viddhā ho kā śakuntikā | tat kilbiṣaṃ smare dharma nānyat pāpam ahaṃ smare ||
ଧର୍ମରାଜ! ବାଳ୍ୟାବସ୍ଥାରେ ଏକଥର ବାଳସୁଲଭ ଅବିବେକରେ ମୁଁ ଏକ ଶଳାକା/ସିଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଗୋଟିଏ ପକ୍ଷୀର ଛୁଆକୁ ଛିଦ୍ର କରିଦେଇଥିଲି। ସେଇ ଏକ ଅପରାଧ ମୋତେ ସ୍ମରଣ ହୁଏ; ଏହାଛଡ଼ା ମୋର ଅନ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ପାପ ମୋତେ ମନେ ପଡ଼େ ନାହିଁ।
दाश उवाच
Even a seemingly small act of harm—especially against a helpless creature—can remain as moral residue in one’s conscience; dharma involves honest self-scrutiny and acknowledging wrongdoing, not merely claiming innocence.
Daśa addresses Dharma/Dharmarāja and admits that the only misdeed he can recall is a childhood act of piercing a young bird with a reed; he presents this as the sole possible cause for any present suffering or moral inquiry.