Shloka 10
Ānṛśaṃsya–Bhakti: Śukaḥ Śakreṇa Parīkṣitaḥ
Compassion and Devotion—The Parrot Tested by Indra
ततश्चिन्तामुपगत: शक्र: कथमयं द्विज: । तिर्यग्योनावसम्भाव्यमानृशंस्थमवस्थित:,इन्द्र यह सोचने लगे कि यह पक्षी कैसे ऐसी अलौकिक दयाको अपनाये बैठा है, जो पक्षीकी योनिमें प्रायः असम्भव है
tataś cintām upagataḥ śakraḥ katham ayaṃ dvijaḥ | tiryagyonāv asambhāvyam ānṛśaṃsya-stham avasthitaḥ ||
Rồi Śakra (Indra) trầm ngâm: “Sao ‘bậc hai lần sinh’ này—nay mang thân loài vật—lại có thể an trú vững vàng trong lòng từ bi, một phẩm chất người ta cho là gần như không thể có ở giống loài ấy?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Compassion (ānṛśaṃsya) is upheld as a high dharmic virtue that can shine even under limiting conditions such as an animal birth; true ethical excellence is measured by conduct, not merely by status or circumstance.
Bhīṣma narrates that Indra (Śakra) becomes thoughtful, astonished that a being described as a dvija—though currently in an animal species—remains firmly established in extraordinary compassion, something considered rare in such a birth.