Shloka 4
Taḍāga-Phala and Vṛkṣāropaṇa
Merit of Ponds and Tree-Planting
प्रजानाथ! तब विप्ररूपधारी सूर्यने हाथ जोड़ प्रणाम करके मधुर वाणीद्वारा यों कहा -- ३ || चलं॑ निमित्तं विप्रर्षे सदा सूर्यस्य गच्छत: । कथं चल भेत्स्यसि त्वं सदा यान्तं दिवाकरम्
Prajānātha! tataḥ viprarūpadhārī sūryaḥ hastāñjalinā praṇamya madhurayā vāṇyā evaṃ uvāca — calaṃ nimittaṃ viprarṣe sadā sūryasya gacchataḥ | kathaṃ calaṃ bhetsyasi tvaṃ sadā yāntaṃ divākaram ||
«О владыка созданий! Тогда Солнце, приняв облик брахмана, сложило ладони в почтении и мягко сказало: “О брахман-риши, твоя цель подвижна, и Солнце всегда в движении. Как же ты пронзишь меняющуюся мишень — как поразишь Солнце, что непрестанно продолжает свой путь?”»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the challenge of pursuing a goal that is inherently unstable or constantly changing. Ethically, it cautions against overconfidence and invites discernment: one must recognize the nature of the objective and cultivate the steadiness, method, and humility required to meet a difficult task—especially when the ‘target’ is as relentless as time and the Sun’s motion.
Bhishma narrates that the Sun, disguised as a brahmin, respectfully addresses a brahmin-seer and questions the feasibility of his aim: since the Sun is always moving, how can the sage hope to pierce such a shifting target? The speech functions as a test and a probing challenge within the story’s dialogue.