Ārjava, Satya, and the Virocana–Sudhanvan Exemplum
Udyoga-parva 35
परश्रेदेनमभिविध्येत बाणै- भुशं सुतीक्ष्णैरनलार्कदी प्तै: । स विध्यमानो5प्यतिदह्यमानो विद्यात् कवि: सुकृतं मे दधाति,यदि दूसरा कोई इस मनुष्यको अग्नि और सूर्यके समान दग्ध करनेवाले अत्यन्त तीखे वाग्बाणोंसे बहुत चोट पहुँचावे तो वह विद्वान् पुरुष चोट खाकर अत्यन्त वेदना सहते हुए भी ऐसा समझे कि वह मेरे पुण्योंको पुष्ट कर रहा है
paraśreṇenam abhividhyet bāṇaiḥ bhuśaṃ sutīkṣṇair analārka-dīptaiḥ | sa vidhyamāno 'py atidahyamāno vidyāt kaviḥ sukṛtaṃ me dadhāti ||
Se outra pessoa o atingisse repetidas vezes com flechas verbais—agudíssimas, ardentes como o fogo e o sol—então o sábio poeta, ainda que trespassado e queimando de dor, deve compreender: “Ele está acrescentando ao meu tesouro de mérito.”
हंस उवाच
The verse teaches kṣamā and self-mastery: even when hurt by scorching, sharp words, a wise person refrains from retaliation and reframes the experience as an opportunity to increase merit (sukṛta) through patient endurance.
Haṃsa presents an ethical instruction using a vivid metaphor: harsh speech is likened to blazing arrows. The 'kavi' (wise person) is advised to remain steady under verbal attack and to interpret the aggressor’s act as inadvertently contributing to the victim’s spiritual merit.