Shloka 15
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
राजन! वह वेगशाली मृग अपनी इच्छासे ही राजाके निकट आ-आकर पुनः बड़े वेगसे आगे भागता था ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | rājan, sa vegavān mṛgaḥ svayameva rājñaḥ samīpam āgatya punar mahāvegāt purato ’padhāvati sma || sa tasya bāṇair bahubhiḥ samabhyastaḥ vane-caraḥ | prakrīḍann iva rājendra punar abhyeti cāntikam ||
毗湿摩说道：“大王，那只迅疾的鹿出于自身意愿，一次次靠近国王，又以极快的速度向前窜去。纵然它屡屡被国王的多支箭矢射中，那林野之鹿仍像在嬉戏一般，不断回到国王近旁，引他一再追逐。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a target seems within reach, repeated provocation can be a trap: a ruler should not let excitement, pride, or fascination override discernment. The deer’s ‘playful’ returns illustrate how the mind can be drawn into unwise pursuit despite clear signs of harm or futility.
A swift deer, though pierced by many arrows, repeatedly comes close to the king and then bolts away again, as if teasing him. The scene functions as an illustrative example within Bhishma’s instruction, highlighting the dynamics of lure, pursuit, and the need for controlled judgment.