Shloka 21
धर्मव्याधोपदेशः
Dharma-vyādha’s Instruction on Śiṣṭācāra and Dharma
अथ स दक्षिणादूरोरुत्कृत्य स्वमांसपेशीं तुलया55धारयत् । गुरुतर एव कपोत आसीत्,तब राजाने अपनी दायीं जाँघसे मांस काटकर उसे तराजूके एक पलड़ेपर रखा, किंतु कबूतरके साथ तौलनेपर वही अधिक भारी निकला
atha sa dakṣiṇād ūrvor utkṛtya sva-māṁsa-peśīṁ tulayā dhārayat | gurutara eva kapota āsīt |
Então o rei cortou um pedaço de carne da coxa direita e o colocou num dos pratos da balança. Contudo, ao pesá-lo contra a pomba, a pomba ainda se mostrou mais pesada.
श्येन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is measured by steadfast commitment to one’s protective vow and compassion, even when it demands painful personal sacrifice; moral duty cannot be fulfilled by token offerings when the vulnerable life at stake remains uncompensated.
To save the dove from the hawk, the king offers his own flesh as substitute food and weighs it on a balance against the dove; despite adding flesh from his right thigh, the dove still outweighs it, intensifying the test of the king’s resolve.