कुरङ्गमातङ्गपतङ्गभृङ्ग
मीनाः हताः पञ्चभिरेव पञ्च ।
एकं प्रमादी स कथं न हन्यते
यः सेवते पञ्चभिरेव पञ्च ॥
kuraṅga-mātaṅga-pataṅga-bhṛṅga-
mīnāḥ hatāḥ pañcabhir eva pañca |
ekaṁ pramādī sa kathaṁ na hanyate
yaḥ sevate pañcabhir eva pañca ||
(Garuḍa Purāṇa: 1.115.21)
“The deer, elephant, moth, bee, and fish—these five are destroyed by the five [respective objects of the senses]. One is bewildering [i.e., just one sense object is greatly bewildering]. [Thus,] How is someone who partakes of all five not [sure to be] ruined by these five?”
Commentary
A deer is attracted by the sound of a flute and killed by a hunter. An elephant is lured into a pit by the presence of she-elephant and killed by a hunter. A moth is attracted to the appearance of a flame and enters it to its own peril. A bee is attracted to the fragrance of a flower and perishes when it becomes trapped inside after the flower closes its petals. A fish is attracted by the taste of bait and killed by a fisherman.