Shloka 61
Sārasvata–Dadhīca Upākhyāna at Sarasvatī Tīrtha
Balarāma’s Pilgrimage Context
अभयं सर्वभूतेभ्यो यो दत्त्वा नावबुध्यते । भारत! यह देख फल-मूल, पवित्री (कुश), पुष्प और ओषधियाँ--ये सहस्रों पदार्थ यह कहकर बारंबार रोने लगे कि “यह खोटी बुद्धिवाला क्षुद्र देवल निश्चय ही फिर हमारा उच्छेद करेगा। तभी तो यह सम्पूर्ण भूतोंकी अभयदान देकर भी अब अपनी प्रतिज्ञाको स्मरण नहीं करता है” ।।
abhayaṁ sarvabhūtebhyo yo dattvā nāvabudhyate | bhārata! phala-mūla-kuśa-puṣpa-oṣadhayaḥ—ime sahasraśaḥ padārthāḥ—iti punar-punar vilapya ruroduḥ: “eṣa khalu khotibuddhiḥ kṣudro devalaḥ punar asmākam ucchhedaṁ kariṣyati; tasmād eṣa sarvabhūtebhyo ’bhayadānaṁ dattvāpi idānīṁ svapratijñāṁ na smarati” ||
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“噢婆罗多啊，那位曾赐予一切众生无畏，却不明白（或不记得）自己所立誓言的人——正因他之故，果实与根茎、净化用的库沙草、花朵与药草——无数自然之物——又一次次哭泣哀叹：‘这卑小的提婆罗，心智迷误，必定还会再毁灭我们。正因此，纵然他已向一切生灵施与无畏，如今却不再忆起自己的誓愿。’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A vow of protection (abhaya) is ethically binding: granting fearlessness to all beings must be matched by steadfast remembrance and consistent conduct. Forgetting or violating such a pledge is portrayed as a moral failure that endangers the vulnerable.
Natural entities—fruits, roots, kuśa-grass, flowers, and herbs—are personified as lamenting. They fear that Devala, described as petty and misguided, will again destroy them, because despite having granted universal fearlessness, he no longer remembers his own vow.