Shloka 9
Adhyāya 179 — Bharadvāja’s Reductionist Inquiry into Jīva and Pañcabhūta Dissolution
सामिषं कुररं दृष्टवा वध्यमानं निरामिषै: । आमिषस्य परित्यागात् कुरर: सुखमेधते
sāmiṣaṃ kuraraṃ dṛṣṭvā vadhyamānaṃ nirāmiṣaiḥ | āmiṣasya parityāgāt kuraraḥ sukham edhate ||
Disse Bhīṣma: Ao verem um pássaro kurara levando carne, outras aves que não tinham carne o atacaram. Quando ele abandonou o pedaço, elas cessaram de persegui-lo. Assim, ao renunciar à isca dos prazeres dos sentidos, o kurara ficou em paz e prosperou na felicidade—por isso tornou-se um “mestre”, ao ensinar a renúncia aos gozos.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Attachment to tempting possessions (āmiṣa, ‘bait’) invites conflict and suffering; relinquishing the object of craving removes the cause of harassment and brings peace—an ethical lesson in vairāgya (detachment).
A kurara bird flying with a piece of meat is attacked by other birds; when it drops the meat, the attackers stop, and the bird becomes safe and content—serving as an illustrative ‘guru’ for renouncing enjoyments.