Shloka 17
धर्मव्याधोपदेशः
Dharma-vyādha’s Instruction on Śiṣṭācāra and Dharma
राजोवाच उक्षाणं वेहतमनूनं नयन्तु ते पश्यन्तु पुरुषा ममैव । भयाहितस्य दायं ममान्तिकात् त्वां प्रत्याम्नाय॑ तु त्वं होनं मा हिंसी:,राजाने कहा--बाज! उक्षा (ऋषभकन्द) अथवा वेहत नामक ओषधियाँ बड़ी पुष्टिकारक होती हैं। मेरे सेवक जाकर उनकी खोज करें और पर्याप्त मात्रामें भातके साथ उन्हें पकाकर तुम्हारे पास पहुँचा दें। भयभीत कपोतके बदलेमें मेरे पाससे मिलनेवाला यह उचित मूल्य होगा। इसे ले लो, किंतु इस कबूतरको न मारो
rājovāca—ukṣāṇaṃ vehatam anūnaṃ nayantu te paśyantu puruṣā mamaiva | bhayāhitasya dāyaṃ mamāntikāt tvāṃ pratyāmnāya tu tvaṃ hānaṃ mā hiṃsīḥ |
O rei disse: “Que os meus homens vão procurar as ervas nutritivas chamadas ukṣā e vehata e as tragam de volta em quantidade abundante. Da minha parte, isto será a compensação adequada pela pomba amedrontada que veio buscar refúgio. Aceita esta oferta de mim, mas não faças mal a esta pomba.”
श्येन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharma as protection of one who seeks refuge: even when another party demands its prey, the righteous response is to safeguard the vulnerable and offer a fair alternative compensation rather than permit harm.
A frightened pigeon has taken shelter, and the hawk presses its claim. The king proposes sending his men to fetch nourishing herbs as an equivalent offering, urging the hawk to accept the substitute and not kill the pigeon.