Shloka 4
Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)
सतं विपक्षरोमाणं कृत्वाग्नावपचत् तदा । त॑ गृहीत्वा सुवर्ण च ययौ द्रुततरं द्विज:,उसने मरे हुए पक्षीके पंख और बाल नोचकर उसे आगमें पकाया और उसे साथमें ले सुवर्णका बोझ सिरपर उठाकर वह ब्राह्मण बड़ी तेजीके साथ वहाँसे चल दिया
sataṁ vipakṣaromāṇaṁ kṛtvāgnāv apacat tadā | taṁ gṛhītvā suvarṇaṁ ca yayau drutataro dvijaḥ ||
Bhishma said: Having plucked off the feathers and hair of the dead bird, he then cooked it on the fire. Taking that cooked meat along with the gold, the Brahmin quickly departed from that place—his haste reflecting the pull of material gain and the moral tension between need, greed, and right conduct.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the lure of wealth can accelerate one’s actions and cloud discernment, creating a dharmic tension: even a Brahmin, expected to embody restraint and right conduct, may be driven by desire toward questionable choices.
A Brahmin plucks the feathers and hair from a dead bird, cooks it on the fire, takes the cooked meat along with a load of gold, and then leaves quickly—suggesting urgency motivated by the acquisition and possession of wealth.