13.005
śukravāsavasaṃvādaḥ
The dialogue between Śukra and Indra.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ānṛśaṁsasya dharmasya guṇānbhaktajanasya ca। śrotumicchāmi kārtsnyena tanme brūhi pitāmaha ॥13-5-1॥
O grandsire, I desire to hear in entirety the qualities of non-cruelty, of dharma, and of the devoted person; please tell me that. (13-5-1)
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
viṣaye kāśirājasya grāmānniṣkramya lubdhakaḥ। saviṣaṃ kāṇḍam ādāya mṛgayām āsa vai mṛgam ॥13-5-2॥
In the territory of the king of Kāśi, a hunter left the village, took a poisoned stick, and indeed went to hunt an animal. (13-5-2)
tatra cāmiṣalubdhena lubdhakena mahāvane। avidūre mṛgaṃ dṛṣṭvā bāṇaḥ pratisamāhitaḥ ॥13-5-3॥
There, in the great forest, a hunter greedy for flesh, having seen a deer not far away, aimed his arrow. (13-5-3)
tena durvāritāstreṇa nimittacapaleṣuṇā। mahānvanatarurviddho mṛgaṃ tatra jighāṃsatā ॥13-5-4॥
By that irresistible weapon, by the unsteady arrow aimed, the great forest tree was pierced as the one desiring to kill the deer there. (13-5-4)
sa tīkṣṇaviṣadigdhena śareṇātibalātkṛtaḥ। utsṛjya phalapatrāṇi pādapaḥ śoṣamāgataḥ ॥13-5-5॥
Struck by a sharp, poison-smeared arrow with great force, the tree, having shed its fruits and leaves, has withered away. (13-5-5)
tasminvṛkṣe tathābhūte koṭareṣu ciroṣitaḥ। na jahāti śuko vāsaṃ tasya bhaktyā vanaspateḥ ॥13-5-6॥
Having long dwelt in the hollows of that tree, the parrot does not abandon its home there, out of devotion to the tree. (13-5-6)
niṣpracāro nirāhāro glānaḥ śithilavāgapi। kṛtajñaḥ saha vṛkṣeṇa dharmātmā sa vyaśuṣyata ॥13-5-7॥
He, grateful and righteous-souled, remained without movement, without food, weak, and with feeble speech, and dried up together with the tree. (13-5-7)
tamudāraṃ mahāsattvamatimānuṣaceṣṭitam। samaduḥkhasukhaṃ jñātvā vismitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ ॥13-5-8॥
Indra, having recognized him as a noble, great being whose actions were superhuman and who was equal in pain and pleasure, was astonished. (13-5-8)
tataś cintām upagataḥ śakraḥ katham ayaṃ dvijaḥ। tiryag-yonau asambhāvyam ānṛśaṃsyaṃ samāsthitaḥ ॥13-5-9॥
Then Śakra (Indra) became thoughtful: "How has this Brāhmaṇa, who is established in compassion, come to be born in the animal womb, which is inconceivable?" (13-5-9)
atha vā nātra citraṃ hītyabhavadvāsavasya tu। prāṇināmiha sarveṣāṃ sarvaṃ sarvatra dṛśyate ॥13-5-10॥
Now, or, there is nothing wonderful here—thus it was for Vāsava; but for all living beings here, everything is seen everywhere. (13-5-10)
tato brāhmaṇaveṣeṇa mānuṣaṃ rūpam āsthitaḥ। avatīrya mahīṃ śakrastaṃ pakṣiṇam uvāca ha ॥13-5-11॥
Then Indra, having taken on the appearance of a brāhmaṇa in human form, descended to the earth and spoke to that bird. (13-5-11)
śuka bhoḥ pakṣiṇāṃ śreṣṭha dākṣeyī suprajāstvayā। pṛcche tvā śuṣkametaṃ vai kasmānna tyajasi drumam ॥13-5-12॥
O parrot, best among birds, O daughter of Dakṣa, you who have good offspring, I ask you: why do you not leave this dry tree? (13-5-12)
atha pṛṣṭaḥ śukaḥ prāha mūrdhnā samabhivādya tam। svāgataṃ devarājāya vijñātaḥ tapasā mayā ॥13-5-13॥
Then, when asked, Śuka, after respectfully bowing his head to him, said: "Welcome, O king of the gods; I have come to know you through my austerities." (13-5-13)
tato daśaśatākṣeṇa sādhu sādhu iti bhāṣitam। aho vijñānam iti evam tapasā pūjitas tataḥ ॥13-5-14॥
Then, Indra (the thousand-eyed) said, "Well done, well done." Thus, exclaiming "Oh, knowledge!" he was honored by austerity thereafter. (13-5-14)
tam evaṃ śubhakarmāṇaṃ śukaṃ paramadhārmikam। vijānann api tāṃ prāptiṃ papraccha balasūdanaḥ ॥13-5-15॥
Bala-sūdana, knowing even that attainment, asked Śuka, who was supremely righteous and engaged in auspicious deeds, thus. (13-5-15)
niṣpatramaphalaṃ śuṣkamaśaraṇyaṃ patatriṇām। kimarthaṃ sevase vṛkṣaṃ yadā mahadidaṃ vanam ॥13-5-16॥
Why do you serve a tree that is leafless, fruitless, dry, and offers no shelter to birds, when this great forest is here? (13-5-16)
anye'pi bahavo vṛkṣāḥ patra-sañchanna-koṭarāḥ। śubhāḥ paryāpta-sañcārā vidyante'smin mahāvane ॥13-5-17॥
There are also many other trees with leaf-covered hollows, auspicious and with sufficient space for movement, in this great forest. (13-5-17)
gatāyuṣamasāmarthyaṃ kṣīṇasāraṃ hataśriyam। vimṛśya prajñayā dhīra jahīmaṃ hyasthiraṃ drumam ॥13-5-18॥
O wise one, having considered with wisdom, abandon this tree whose life is gone, whose strength and essence are diminished, and whose splendor is destroyed, for it is indeed unstable. (13-5-18)
tad-upaśrutya dharmātmā śukaḥ śakreṇa bhāṣitam। sudīrgham-abhiniḥśvasya dīnaḥ vākyam-uvāca ha ॥13-5-19॥
Having heard what was spoken by Śakra, the righteous Śuka, deeply sighing for a long time and distressed, indeed spoke these words. (13-5-19)
anatikramaṇīyāni daivatāni śacīpate। yatrābhavas tatra bhavas tan nibodha surādhipa ॥13-5-20॥
The divine laws are not to be transgressed, O lord of Śacī. Know that wherever you were, there you are, O lord of the gods. (13-5-20)
asminnahaṃ drume jātaḥ sādhubhiśca guṇairyutaḥ। bālabhāve ca saṅguptaḥ śatrubhiśca na dharṣitaḥ॥13-5-21॥
I was born on this tree, endowed with virtues by the virtuous; in my childhood I was protected and not oppressed by enemies. (13-5-21)
kim-anukrośa-vai-phalyam-utpādayasi me-'nagha। ānṛśaṁsye-'nuraktasya bhaktasya-anugatasya ca ॥13-5-22॥
O sinless one, why do you cause me to feel that compassion is fruitless? Compassion is for the devoted, the faithful, and the follower. (13-5-22)
anukrośo hi sādhūnāṃ sumahaddharmalakṣaṇam। anukrośaś ca sādhūnāṃ sadā prītiṃ prayacchati ॥13-5-23॥
Compassion is indeed the very great mark of dharma among the virtuous; and compassion always bestows delight upon the virtuous. (13-5-23)
tvam eva daivataiḥ sarvaiḥ pṛcchyase dharmasaṁśayān। atas tvaṁ deva devānām ādhipatye pratiṣṭhitaḥ ॥13-5-24॥
You alone are asked by all the deities about doubts concerning dharma; therefore, O god, you are established in the lordship over the gods. (13-5-24)
nārhasi tvaṃ sahasrākṣa tyājayitveha bhaktitaḥ। samartham upajīvyemaṃ tyajeyaṃ katham adya vai ॥13-5-25॥
O thousand-eyed, you are not worthy to make me abandon this here out of devotion; how could I abandon today one who is capable and whom I have depended upon? (13-5-25)
tasya vākyena saumyena harṣitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ। śukaṃ provāca dharmajñam ānṛśaṃsyena toṣitaḥ ॥13-5-26॥
Gladdened by his gentle words, Indra, pleased by compassion, spoke to Śuka, the knower of dharma. (13-5-26)
varaṃ vṛṇīṣveti tadā sa ca vavre varaṃ śukaḥ। ānṛśaṃsyaparo nityaṃ tasya vṛkṣasya sambhavam ॥13-5-27॥
Then, when told "Choose a boon," the parrot chose the boon of always having the existence of that tree, being ever devoted to compassion. (13-5-27)
viditvā ca dṛḍhāṃ śakrastāṃ śuke śīlasampadam। prītaḥ kṣipramatho vṛkṣam amṛtenāvasiktavān ॥13-5-28॥
Having realized the steadfast virtue of that parrot, Indra, pleased, quickly sprinkled the tree with nectar. (13-5-28)
tataḥ phalāni patrāṇi śākhāś cāpi manoramāḥ। śukasya dṛḍhabhaktitvāc chrīmatvaṃ cāpa sa drumaḥ ॥13-5-29॥
Then, that tree had fruits, leaves, and also beautiful branches; because of the parrot's firm devotion, the tree also attained prosperity. (13-5-29)
śukaś ca karmaṇā tena ānṛśaṁsyakṛtena ha। āyuṣo 'nte mahārāja prāpa śakrasalokatām ॥13-5-30॥
O great king, Śuka, by that compassionate act, indeed, at the end of his life, attained the world of Indra. (13-5-30)
evameva manuṣyendra bhaktimantaṃ samāśritaḥ। sarvārthasiddhiṃ labhate śukaṃ prāpya yathā drumaḥ ॥13-5-31॥
In the same way, O king of men, one who takes refuge in a devoted person attains all success, just as a tree does when it gains a parrot. (13-5-31)
