Shloka 10
धर्मव्याधोपदेशः
Dharma-vyādha’s Instruction on Śiṣṭācāra and Dharma
पर्यायेण वसतिर्वा भवेषु सर्गे ज्ञात: पूर्वमस्मात् कपोतात् । त्वमाददानो5थ कपोतमेनं मा त्वं राजन् विघ्नकर्ता भवेथा:,तदनन्तर बाजने राजासे कहा--“महाराज! प्रायः सभी जीवोंको बारी-बारीसे विभिन्न योनियोंमें जन्म लेकर रहना पड़ता है। मालूम होता है, आप इस सृष्टि-परम्परामें पहले कभी इस कबूतरसे जन्म ग्रहण कर चुके हैं; तभी तो इसे अपने आश्रयमें ले रहे हैं! राजन! मैं आग्रहपर्वूक कहता हूँ, आप इस कबूतरको लेकर मेरे भोजनके कार्यमें विघ्न न डालें"
paryāyeṇa vasatir vā bhaveṣu sarge jñātaḥ pūrvam asmāt kapotāt | tvam ādadāno 'tha kapotam enaṃ mā tvaṃ rājan vighnakartā bhavethāḥ ||
Disse Mārkaṇḍeya: “No curso da criação, os seres devem habitar, vez após vez, diversos estados de existência, nascendo alternadamente em diferentes ventres. Parece que, em algum ciclo anterior deste mundo, tu mesmo nasceste como este pombo—por isso agora o tomas sob tua proteção. Portanto, ó rei, eu te rogo: não te tornes, ao guardar este pombo, um obstáculo para que eu obtenha alimento.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames moral conflict through the lens of saṃsāra: beings cycle through births, and past connections can shape present duties. It highlights a tension between compassion/protection (sheltering the pigeon) and another party’s survival need, urging careful discernment so that one’s chosen duty does not unjustly obstruct another’s legitimate need.
Mārkaṇḍeya addresses a king who is taking a pigeon under his protection. He suggests the king may have a past-life connection with the pigeon, explaining the king’s impulse to shelter it, and then warns the king not to let that protection become an obstacle to the speaker’s obtaining food.