Sāvitrī’s Report and Nārada’s Prognosis (सावित्र्याख्यान—सत्यवान्-गुणवर्णनं तथा अल्पायुषः पूर्वसूचना)
आशीविषं घोरतरं पादेन स्पृशतीह कः । सिंहं केसरिणं कश्च दंष्टायां स्पृश्य तिष्तति,“कौन अत्यन्त भयंकर विषधर सर्पको पैरसे कुचल रहा है? तथा कौन केसरी सिंहकी दाढ़ोंमें हाथ डालकर निश्चिन्त खड़ा है?”
āśīviṣaṃ ghorataraṃ pādena spṛśatīha kaḥ | siṃhaṃ kesariṇaṃ kaścid daṃṣṭāyāṃ spṛśya tiṣṭhati ||
此间有谁敢以足践踏那最为可怖的毒蛇?又有谁能在把手伸入鬃毛雄狮的颚间之后,仍泰然自若地伫立?(罗摩以此譬喻昭示:挑衅压倒性的凶险乃愚行;智者不以鲁莽之触去招致必然伤害与覆亡。)
(श्रीरम उवाच
The verse teaches practical wisdom aligned with dharma: do not invite predictable harm through rash, arrogant, or careless actions. Just as no sensible person steps on a deadly snake or puts a hand into a lion’s jaws, one should avoid provoking dangers that are clearly beyond safe control.
Śrī Rāma speaks in the form of rhetorical questions, using vivid natural images (a venomous serpent and a lion) to warn against reckless behavior. The point is to dissuade someone from a course of action that is as perilous as touching lethal creatures.