Shloka 37
Śaraṇāgata-Atithi-Dharma in the Kapota Narrative (कपोत-आख्यानम्—शरणागतधर्मः)
स ददर्श श्वमांसस्य कुतन्त्रीं विततां मुनि: । चाण्डालस्य गृहे राजन् सद्यः शस्त्रहतस्य वै
sa dadarśa śvamāṃsasya kutantrīṃ vitatāṃ muniḥ | cāṇḍālasya gṛhe rājan sadyaḥ śastrahatasya vai ||
毗湿摩说道：大王啊，那位圣仙随即在旃陀罗的屋中看见一条铺开的狗肉——取自一条刚被兵刃杀死的狗。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up a classic dharma problem: when one faces extreme necessity, the usual rules of purity and social avoidance are tested. It invites reflection on how to weigh competing duties—survival, compassion, and adherence to norms—when circumstances are harsh.
Bhīṣma narrates that a sage comes upon a Caṇḍāla’s house and sees a freshly weapon-killed dog’s flesh laid out. This discovery functions as a narrative trigger for the ensuing ethical discussion about conduct under distress.