03.131
श्येन उवाच॥
The hawk said.
धर्मात्मानं त्वाहुरेकं सर्वे राजन्महीक्षितः। स वै धर्मविरुद्धं त्वं कस्मात्कर्म चिकीर्षसि ॥०३-१३१-१॥
O king, all the rulers of the earth say that you alone are of righteous soul. Why then do you intend to perform an action that is contrary to dharma? (03-131-1)
विहितं भक्षणं राजन्पीड्यमानस्य मे क्षुधा। मा भाङ्क्षीर्धर्मलोभेन धर्ममुत्सृष्टवानसि ॥०३-१३१-२॥
O king, food is prescribed for one tormented by my hunger; do not eat out of greed for righteousness, for you have abandoned righteousness.
राजोवाच॥
The king said.
सन्त्रस्तरूपस्त्राणार्थी त्वत्तो भीतो महाद्विज। मत्सकाशमनुप्राप्तः प्राणगृध्नुरयं द्विजः ॥०३-१३१-३॥
O great Brāhmaṇa, this twice-born, appearing terrified, seeking protection and afraid of you, has come to my presence, craving for his life. (03-131-3)
एवमभ्यागतस्येह कपोतस्याभयार्थिनः। अप्रदाने परोऽधर्मः किं त्वं श्येन प्रपश्यसि ॥०३-१३१-४॥
Thus, for the pigeon who has come here seeking protection, withholding it is the greatest unrighteousness; why do you see it otherwise, O hawk? (03-131-4)
प्रस्पन्दमानः सम्भ्रान्तः कपोतः श्येन लक्ष्यते। मत्सकाशं जीवितार्थी तस्य त्यागो विगर्हितः ॥०३-१३१-५॥
When the quivering and agitated pigeon is seen by the hawk, he comes to me seeking to preserve his life; to abandon him now would be blameworthy. (03-131-5)
श्येन उवाच॥
The hawk said.
आहारात्सर्वभूतानि सम्भवन्ति महीपते। आहारेण विवर्धन्ते तेन जीवन्ति जन्तवः ॥०३-१३१-६॥
O king, all beings originate from food. Through food, they grow, and by that, living creatures exist. (03-131-6)
शक्यते दुस्त्यजेऽप्यर्थे चिररात्राय जीवितुम्। न तु भोजनमुत्सृज्य शक्यं वर्तयितुं चिरम् ॥०३-१३१-७॥
One may live for a long time even for the sake of something difficult to abandon; but, having abandoned food, it is not possible to survive for long. (03-131-7)
भक्ष्याद्विलोपितस्याद्य मम प्राणा विशां पते। विसृज्य कायमेष्यन्ति पन्थानमपुनर्भवम् ॥०३-१३१-८॥
O lord of people, today my life-forces, deprived of food, will leave my body and take the path of no return. (03-131-8)
प्रमृते मयि धर्मात्मन्पुत्रदारं नशिष्यति। रक्षमाणः कपोतं त्वं बहून्प्राणान्नशिष्यसि ॥०३-१३१-९॥
If I am killed, O righteous one, my son and wife will perish. By protecting the dove, you will cause many lives to perish. (03-131-9)
धर्मं यो बाधते धर्मो न स धर्मः कुधर्म तत्। अविरोधी तु यो धर्मः स धर्मः सत्यविक्रम ॥०३-१३१-१०॥
That which harms righteousness is not true dharma; it is false dharma. Only that which does not conflict with righteousness is actually dharma, O truthful hero. (03-131-10)
विरोधिषु महीपाल निश्चित्य गुरुलाघवम्। न बाधा विद्यते यत्र तं धर्मं समुदाचरेत् ॥०३-१३१-११॥
O king, among adversaries, having considered the relative gravity and lightness (of actions), he should perform that duty where no obstacle exists. (03-131-11)
गुरुलाघवमाज्ञाय धर्माधर्मविनिश्चये। यतो भूयांस्ततो राजन्कुरु धर्मविनिश्चयम् ॥०३-१३१-१२॥
O king, having perceived the respective importance in discerning dharma and adharma, base your decision of dharma upon that which has the greater merit. (03-131-12)
राजोवाच॥
The king said.
बहुकल्याणसंयुक्तं भाषसे विहगोत्तम। सुपर्णः पक्षिराट्किं त्वं धर्मज्ञश्चास्यसंशयम् ॥ तथा हि धर्मसंयुक्तं बहु चित्रं प्रभाषसे ॥०३-१३१-१३॥
You speak with much auspiciousness, O best of birds. Suparṇa, king of birds, are you a knower of dharma and of this doubt? For thus, indeed, you utter many wonderful words imbued with dharma. (03-131-13)
न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किञ्चिदिति त्वा लक्षयाम्यहम्। शरणैषिणः परित्यागं कथं साध्विति मन्यसे ॥०३-१३१-१४॥
I perceive that nothing is unknown to you. How do you consider the abandonment of one seeking refuge to be right? (03-131-14)
आहारार्थं समारम्भस्तव चायं विहङ्गम। शक्यश्चाप्यन्यथा कर्तुमाहारोऽप्यधिकस्त्वया ॥०३-१३१-१५॥
Your effort for the sake of food and this bird—another way is also possible to gain food, even more, by you. (03-131-15)
गोवृषो वा वराहो वा मृगो वा महिषोऽपि वा। त्वदर्थमद्य क्रियतां यद्वान्यदभिकाङ्क्षसे ॥०३-१३१-१६॥
Whether it is a bull, a boar, a deer, or even a buffalo, let that be done today for your sake, or anything else you desire. (03-131-16)
श्येन उवाच॥
The falcon said;
न वराहं न चोक्षाणं न मृगान्विविधांस्तथा। भक्षयामि महाराज किमन्नाद्येन तेन मे ॥०३-१३१-१७॥
O great king, I do not eat boar, nor oxen, nor various kinds of deer; what will food or eating such things do for me? (03-131-17)
यस्तु मे दैवविहितो भक्षः क्षत्रियपुङ्गव। तमुत्सृज महीपाल कपोतमिममेव मे ॥०३-१३१-१८॥
O best of Kṣatriyas, that which is ordained by fate as food for me—release that, O king, and give me only this pigeon. (03-131-18)
श्येनाः कपोतान्खादन्ति स्थितिरेषा सनातनी। मा राजन्मार्गमाज्ञाय कदलीस्कन्धमारुह ॥०३-१३१-१९॥
Hawks eat pigeons—this is the eternal order. O king, do not, having known the path, ascend the (frail) banana trunk. (03-131-19)
राजोवाच॥
The king said.
राज्यं शिबीनामृद्धं वै शाधि पक्षिगणार्चित। यद्वा कामयसे किञ्चिच्छ्येन सर्वं ददानि ते ॥ विनेमं पक्षिणं श्येन शरणार्थिनमागतम् ॥०३-१३१-२०॥
Rule the prosperous kingdom of the Śibis, honored by flocks of birds. Or, O hawk, I will give you whatever you desire; anything at all. Except for this bird, O hawk, who has come seeking refuge. (03-131-20)
येनेमं वर्जयेथास्त्वं कर्मणा पक्षिसत्तम। तदाचक्ष्व करिष्यामि न हि दास्ये कपोतकम् ॥०३-१३१-२१॥
O best among birds, by what act you would release this (pigeon), tell (me) that; I will do it, but indeed I will not give up the pigeon. (03-131-21)
श्येन उवाच॥
The hawk said.
उशीनर कपोते ते यदि स्नेहो नराधिप। आत्मनो मांसमुत्कृत्य कपोततुलया धृतम् ॥०३-१३१-२२॥
O King Uśīnara, if you truly have affection for the pigeon, then cut flesh from your own body and place it with the same weight as the pigeon. (03-131-22)
यदा समं कपोतेन तव मांसं भवेन्नृप। तदा प्रदेयं तन्मह्यं सा मे तुष्टिर्भविष्यति ॥०३-१३१-२३॥
O king, when your flesh becomes equal to that of the pigeon, then that should be given to me; that will be my satisfaction. (03-131-23)
राजोवाच॥
The king said.
अनुग्रहमिमं मन्ये श्येन यन्माभियाचसे। तस्मात्तेऽद्य प्रदास्यामि स्वमांसं तुलया धृतम् ॥०३-१३१-२४॥
O hawk, I regard this as a favor that you request from me; therefore, today I will give you my own flesh, weighed on a scale. (03-131-24)
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
अथोत्कृत्य स्वमांसं तु राजा परमधर्मवित्। तुलयामास कौन्तेय कपोतेन सहाभिभो ॥०३-१३१-२५॥
Then, the king, who knew the highest dharma, cut off his own flesh and weighed it together with the pigeon, O son of Kunti, O mighty one. (03-131-25)
ध्रियमाणस्तु तुलया कपोतो व्यतिरिच्यते। पुनश्चोत्कृत्य मांसानि राजा प्रादादुशीनरः ॥०३-१३१-२६॥
When weighed in the balance, the pigeon was found to be heavier. Then, having cut off pieces of flesh, King Uśīnara gave them. (03-131-26)
न विद्यते यदा मांसं कपोतेन समं धृतम्। तत उत्कृत्तमांसोऽसावारुरोह स्वयं तुलाम् ॥०३-१३१-२७॥
When there was no meat placed by the pigeon equal to (his own weight), then he, having cut off his own flesh, himself ascended the scale. (03-131-27)
श्येन उवाच॥
The hawk said.
इन्द्रोऽहमस्मि धर्मज्ञ कपोतो हव्यवाडयम्। जिज्ञासमानौ धर्मे त्वां यज्ञवाटमुपागतौ ॥०३-१३१-२८॥
I am Indra, O knower of dharma; this pigeon is the receiver of oblations. We both have come to you at the sacrificial altar, wishing to inquire about dharma. (03-131-28)
यत्ते मांसानि गात्रेभ्य उत्कृत्तानि विशां पते। एषा ते भास्वरी कीर्तिर्लोकानभिभविष्यति ॥०३-१३१-२९॥
O Lord of men, the fact that your flesh was cut off from your limbs—this shining fame of yours will surpass the worlds. (03-131-29)
यावल्लोके मनुष्यास्त्वां कथयिष्यन्ति पार्थिव। तावत्कीर्तिश्च लोकाश्च स्थास्यन्ति तव शाश्वताः ॥०३-१३१-३०॥
O king, as long as people speak of you in the world, your eternal fame and worlds will endure. (03-131-30)
लोमश उवाच॥
Lomaśa said.
तत्पाण्डवेय सदनं राज्ञस्तस्य महात्मनः। पश्यस्वैतन्मया सार्धं पुण्यं पापप्रमोचनम् ॥०३-१३१-३१॥
That is the house of the Pāṇḍava king, the great-souled one. See this together with me — it is holy and frees from sin. (03-131-31)
अत्र वै सततं देवा मुनयश्च सनातनाः। दृश्यन्ते ब्राह्मणै राजन्पुण्यवद्भिर्महात्मभिः ॥०३-१३१-३२॥
O king, here the gods, sages, and eternal ones are always seen by Brāhmaṇas who are virtuous and great souls. (03-131-32)
