Shloka 14
Dāna-Śreṣṭhatā: On the Superiority of Giving
Maitreya–Vyāsa Exemplum
दुःखं हि मृत्युर्थूतानां जीवितं च सुदुर्लभम् | अतो भीत: पलायामि गच्छेयं ना सुखं सुखात्
duḥkhaṁ hi mṛtyur bhūtānāṁ jīvitaṁ ca sudurlabham | ato bhītaḥ palāyāmi gaccheyaṁ nā sukhaṁ sukhāt |
दुःखं हि मृत्युः प्राणिनां जीवितं च सुदुर्लभम्। अतो भीतः पलायामि मा सुखात् दुःखमाप्नुयाम्॥
कीट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Life is rare and precious for all beings; recognizing the suffering associated with death encourages compassion and restraint, supporting an ethic of non-harm (ahiṁsā) and respect for even small creatures.
The speaker, a kīṭa (insect/worm), explains why it is fleeing: out of fear that it may be killed and thus fall from a moment of safety into suffering, emphasizing the universal instinct to preserve life.