Shloka 19
Adhyāya 118: Saciva-parīkṣā
Testing and Appointment of Ministers/Servants
(चिन्तयामास च तदा शरभ: श्वानपूर्वकः । अस्य प्रभावात् सम्प्राप्तो वाड्मात्रेण तु केवलम् ।। शरभत्वं सुदुष्प्रापं सर्वभूतभयड्करम् । उस पहलेके कुत्ते और वर्तमानकालके शरभने सोचा कि इन महर्षिके प्रभावसे--इनके वाणीद्वारा केवल कह देनेमात्रसे मैंने परम दुर्लभ शरभका शरीर पा लिया, जो समस्त प्राणियोंके लिये भयंकर है ।। अन्ये>्प्यत्र भयत्रस्ता: सन्ति हस्तिभयार्दिता: ।। मुनिमाश्रित्य जीवन्तो मृगा: पक्षिगणास्तथा । तेषामपि कदाचिच्च शरभत्वं प्रयच्छति ।। सर्वसत्त्वोत्तमं लोके बल॑ यत्र प्रतिष्ठितम् । इन मुनीश्वरकी शरण लेकर जीवन धारण करनेवाले दूसरे भी बहुत-से मृग और पक्षी हैं, जो हाथी तथा दूसरे भयानक जन्तुओंसे भयभीत रहते हैं। सम्भव है, ये उन्हें भी कदाचित् शरभका शरीर प्रदान कर दें, जहाँ संसारके सभी प्राणियोंसे श्रेष्ठ बल प्रतिष्ठित है।। पक्षिणामप्ययं दद्यात् कदाचिद् गारुडं बलम् ।। यावदन्यस्य सम्प्रीत: कारुण्यं च समाश्रित: । न ददाति बल तुष्ट: सत्त्वस्यान्यस्य कस्यचित् ।। तावदेनमहं विप्रं वधिष्यामि च शीघ्रत: । स्थातुं मया शक््यमिह मुनिघातान्न संशय: ।।) ये चाहें तो कभी पक्षियोंको भी गरुड़का बल दे सकते हैं। अतः दयाके वशीभूत हो जबतक किसी दूसरे जीवपर संतुष्ट या प्रसन्न हो ये उसे ऐसा ही बल नहीं दे देते, तबतक ही इन ब्रह्मर्षिका मैं शीघ्र वध कर डालूँगा। मुनिका वध हो जानेके पश्चात् मैं यहाँ बेखटके रह सकूँगा, इसमें संशय नहीं है ।। ततस्तेन तपःशकक््त्या विदितो ज्ञानचक्षुषा
bhīṣma uvāca | cintayāmāsa ca tadā śarabhaḥ śvānapūrvakaḥ | asya prabhāvāt samprāpto vāṅmātreṇa tu kevalam || śarabhatvaṃ suduṣprāpaṃ sarvabhūtabhayaṅkaram || anye 'py atra bhayatrastāḥ santi hastibhayārditāḥ | munim āśritya jīvanto mṛgāḥ pakṣigaṇās tathā | teṣām api kadācic ca śarabhatvaṃ prayacchati || sarvasattvottamaṃ loke balaṃ yatra pratiṣṭhitam | pakṣiṇām apy ayaṃ dadyāt kadācit gāruḍaṃ balam || yāvad anyasya samprītaḥ kāruṇyaṃ ca samāśritaḥ | na dadāti balaṃ tuṣṭaḥ sattvasyānyasya kasyacit || tāvad enam ahaṃ vipraṃ vadhiṣyāmi ca śīghrataḥ | sthātuṃ mayā śakyam iha munighātān na saṃśayaḥ || tatas tena tapaḥśaktyā vidito jñānacakṣuṣā |
Bhishma said: Then the Śarabha—formerly a dog—reflected: “By the power of this sage, merely through his spoken word, I have obtained the exceedingly rare state of being a Śarabha, terrifying to all creatures. Here there are also many other deer and flocks of birds, living under the sage’s protection, distressed by fear of elephants and other dangers. It is possible that he may someday grant them too the form of a Śarabha, wherein strength superior to all beings is established. He might even, at some time, bestow upon birds the Garuḍa-like power. Therefore, before he—moved by compassion and pleased with some other creature—grants such strength to anyone else, I will quickly kill this brahmin-sage. After the sage is slain, I will be able to remain here without fear; there is no doubt.” Thereupon, by his ascetic power and with the eye of knowledge, the sage came to know (his intent).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power gained through another’s grace can breed arrogance and fear-driven cruelty; plotting harm against a benefactor—especially a sage—is portrayed as grave adharma, and spiritual insight (tapas, jñānacakṣuṣ) is shown as a safeguard that exposes hidden malice.
A creature who has been transformed into the formidable Śarabha by a sage’s mere words becomes anxious that the sage might grant similar power to other protected animals; to preserve his dominance, he resolves to kill the sage, but the sage perceives the intention through ascetic knowledge.