13.009
सृगालवानरसंवादः
The dialogue between the jackal and the monkey.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
ब्राह्मणानां तु ये लोके प्रतिश्रुत्य पितामह। न प्रयच्छन्ति मोहात्ते के भवन्ति महामते ॥१३-९-१॥
O grandsire, who are those in the world, among the Brāhmaṇas, who, having promised, do not give out of delusion, O great-minded one? (13-9-1)
एतन्मे तत्त्वतो ब्रूहि धर्मं धर्मभृतां वर। प्रतिश्रुत्य दुरात्मानो न प्रयच्छन्ति ये नराः ॥१३-९-२॥
O best among the upholders of dharma, tell me this truly: What is the duty? Those men who are evil-minded do not give after promising. (13-9-2)
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhishma said.
यो न दद्यात्प्रतिश्रुत्य स्वल्पं वा यदि वा बहु। आशास्तस्य हताः सर्वाः क्लीबस्येव प्रजाफलम् ॥१३-९-३॥
If a person does not give what he has promised, whether little or much, all his hopes are destroyed, just like the offspring of a powerless man. (13-9-3)
यां रात्रिं जायते पापो यां च रात्रिं विनश्यति। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे यद्यत्सुकृतं तस्य भारत ॥ यच्च तस्य हुतं किञ्चित्सर्वं तस्योपहन्यते ॥१३-९-४॥
The night in which sin is born and the night in which it is destroyed—in this interval, O Bhārata, whatever good deed or offering he has made, all of it is nullified. (13-9-4)
अत्रैतद्वचनं प्राहुर्धर्मशास्त्रविदो जनाः। निशम्य भरतश्रेष्ठ बुद्ध्या परमयुक्तया ॥१३-९-५॥
Here, O best of the Bharatas, the people who know the dharmaśāstra, having heard this statement, spoke with intellect and supreme reasoning. (13-9-5)
अपि चोदाहरन्तीमं धर्मशास्त्रविदो जनाः। अश्वानां श्यामकर्णानां सहस्रेण स मुच्यते ॥१३-९-६॥
Moreover, the people who know the dharmaśāstra also cite this: by a thousand black-eared horses, he is released. (13-9-6)
अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। सृगालस्य च संवादं वानरस्य च भारत ॥१३-९-७॥
Right here, O Bhārata, they recount this ancient story: the conversation between the jackal and the monkey. (13-9-7)
तौ सखायौ पुरा ह्यास्तां मानुषत्वे परन्तप। अन्यां योनिं समापन्नौ सार्गालीं वानरीं तथा ॥१३-९-८॥
Those two friends were formerly humans, O scorcher of foes; they were later born in other wombs, one as a female jackal and the other as a female monkey. (13-9-8)
ततः परासून्खादन्तं सृगालं वानरोऽब्रवीत्। श्मशानमध्ये सम्प्रेक्ष्य पूर्वजातिमनुस्मरन् ॥१३-९-९॥
Then, in the midst of the cremation ground, the monkey, recalling his previous existence, saw the jackal eating another's flesh and spoke to him. (13-9-9)
किं त्वया पापकं कर्म कृतं पूर्वं सुदारुणम्। यस्त्वं श्मशाने मृतकान्पूतिकानत्सि कुत्सितान् ॥१३-९-१०॥
What very terrible sinful action did you do previously, that you, who eat the putrid, despicable dead in the cremation ground? (13-9-10)
एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच सृगालो वानरं तदा। ब्राह्मणस्य प्रतिश्रुत्य न मया तदुपाकृतम् ॥१३-९-११॥
Thus addressed, the jackal then replied to the monkey: 'Having promised the brāhmaṇa, I did not do that favor.' (13-9-11)
तत्कृते पापिकां योनिमापन्नोऽस्मि प्लवङ्गम। तस्मादेवंविधं भक्ष्यं भक्षयामि बुभुक्षितः ॥१३-९-१२॥
O monkey, because of that, I have attained a sinful birth; therefore, being hungry, I eat such food. (13-9-12)
इत्येतद्ब्रुवतो राजन्ब्राह्मणस्य मया श्रुतम्। कथां कथयतः पुण्यां धर्मज्ञस्य पुरातनीम् ॥१३-९-१३॥
O king, thus I heard this meritorious ancient story of the knower of dharma as narrated by the brāhmaṇa. (13-9-13)
श्रुतं चापि मया भूयः कृष्णस्यापि विशां पते। कथां कथयतः पूर्वं ब्राह्मणं प्रति पाण्डव ॥१३-९-१४॥
O Pāṇḍava, I have also heard again the story that Kṛṣṇa spoke earlier to the Brāhmaṇa, O lord of men. (13-9-14)
एवमेव च मां नित्यं ब्राह्मणाः संदिशन्ति वै। प्रतिश्रुत्य भवेद्देयं नाशा कार्या हि ब्राह्मणैः ॥१३-९-१५॥
In this way, Brāhmaṇas always instruct me: "Having promised, one should give; Brāhmaṇas should not create expectation." (13-9-15)
ब्राह्मणो ह्याशया पूर्वं कृतया पृथिवीपते। सुसमिद्धो यथा दीप्तः पावकस्तद्विधः स्मृतः ॥१३-९-१६॥
O lord of the earth, a Brāhmaṇa who is well-kindled by intention and previous action is regarded as being like blazing fire. (13-9-16)
यं निरीक्षेत सङ्क्रुद्ध आशया पूर्वजातया। प्रदहेत हि तं राजन्कक्षमक्षय्यभुग्यथा ॥१३-९-१७॥
O king, when a very angry person looks at someone with an intention carried from a previous birth, he might indeed burn him up, just as fire consumes inexhaustible fuel. (13-9-17)
स एव हि यदा तुष्टो वचसा प्रतिनन्दति। भवत्यगदसङ्काशो विषये तस्य भारत ॥१३-९-१८॥
O Bhārata, when he is pleased and greets with words, he becomes like a remedy in that person's matter. (13-9-18)
पुत्रान्पौत्रान्पशूंश्चैव बान्धवान्सचिवांस्तथा। पुरं जनपदं चैव शान्तिरिष्टेव पुष्यति ॥१३-९-१९॥
Peace, like a desired sacrifice, indeed nourishes sons, grandsons, cattle, relatives, ministers, as well as the city and the country. (13-9-19)
एतद्धि परमं तेजो ब्राह्मणस्येह दृश्यते। सहस्रकिरणस्येव सवितुर्धरणीतले ॥१३-९-२०॥
This, indeed, is the supreme splendor of the brāhmaṇa seen here, like that of the thousand-rayed Savitṛ (the Sun) on the surface of the earth. (13-9-20)
तस्माद्दातव्यमेवेह प्रतिश्रुत्य युधिष्ठिर। यदीच्छेच्छोभनां जातिं प्राप्तुं भरतसत्तम ॥१३-९-२१॥
Therefore, O Yudhishthira, having promised, one should certainly give here, if one wishes to attain an excellent birth, O best of the Bharatas. (13-9-21)
ब्राह्मणस्य हि दत्तेन ध्रुवं स्वर्गो ह्यनुत्तमः। शक्यं प्राप्तुं विशेषेण दानं हि महती क्रिया ॥१३-९-२२॥
Indeed, by giving to a Brāhmaṇa, heaven—certain and unsurpassed—can be attained; especially, giving is indeed a great act. (13-9-22)
इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवताः पितरस्तथा। तस्माद्दानानि देयानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विजानता ॥१३-९-२३॥
It is by offerings such as these that the gods and likewise the ancestors are sustained; therefore, one who understands should give gifts to the Brāhmaṇas. (13-9-23)
महद्धि भरतश्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणस्तीर्थमुच्यते। वेलायां न तु कस्याञ्चिद्गच्छेद्विप्रो ह्यपूजितः ॥१३-९-२४॥
O best of the Bharatas, a Brāhmaṇa is truly regarded as a sacred place; however, at the time of worship, a Brāhmaṇa should not go to anyone unhonored. (13-9-24)
