Special Call Prof. Jay L. Garfield Commemorative Volume · Submissions Open
Announcements Newsletters About Us Contact
Search
MBh
Mahābhārata • Parva 12 (Śāntiparva) • Adhyāya 136

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 136

शान्तिपर्व • अध्यायः 136

Śāntiparva Adhyāya 136 of the classical Mahābhārata with 212 verses.

Total: 212 Verses • Citations: MBh 12.136.1–212 • 250 Lexicon Terms • Page 2 of 8 (Verses 30 shown)
शरप्रसूनसंकाशं महीविवरशायिनम् । नकुलं हरिकं नाम चपलं ताम्रलोचनम् ॥
English Translation
It was a restless mongoose of coppery eyes, of the name of Harita. Living in holes underneath, its body resembled the flower of a reed.
तेन मूषकगन्धेन त्वरमाणमुपागतम् । भक्षार्थं लेलिहद्वक्त्रं भूमावूर्ध्वमुखं स्थितम् ॥
शाखागतमरिं चान्यदपश्यत्कोटरालयम् । उलूकं चन्द्रकं नाम तीक्ष्णतुण्डं क्षपाचरम् ॥
गतस्य विषयं तस्य नकुलोलूकयोस्तदा । अथास्यासीदियं चिन्ता तत्प्राप्य सुमहद्भयम् ॥
आपद्यस्यां सुकष्टायां मरणे समुपस्थिते । समन्ताद्भय उत्पन्ने कथं कार्यं हितैषिणा ॥
English Translation
In such a great danger, when death itself is staring me in the face, when fear prevails on every side, how should one act who seeks his own well being?
स तथा सर्वतो रुद्धः सर्वत्र समदर्शनः । अभवद्भयसंतप्तश्चक्रे चेमां परां गतिम् ॥
English Translation
Beset with danger, and seeing fear on all sides, the mouse, stricken with fear for his safety, made a high resolution.
आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठा शतैकीयं च जीवितम् । समन्तसंशया चेयमस्मानापदुपस्थिता ॥
English Translation
Preventing numberless dangers by hundreds of means, one should always save his life. Danger, now, besets me on every side.
गतं हि सहसा भूमिं नकुलो मां समाप्नुयात् । उलूकश्चेह तिष्ठन्तं मार्जारः पाशसंक्षयात् ॥
English Translation
If I were to descend from this trap on the ground, without sufficient precautions, the mongoose will surely catch and devour me. If I remain on this trap, the owl will surely catch me. If, again, the cat can free himself for the net, he, also, is certain to devour me.
न त्वेवास्मद्विधः प्राज्ञः संमोहं गन्तुमर्हति । करिष्ये जीविते यत्नं यावदुच्छ्वासनिग्रहम् ॥
English Translation
It is not proper, therefore, that a person intelligent like myself should lose his wits. I shall, therefore, try me best to save my life, by having recourse to proper means and intelligence.
न हि बुद्ध्यान्विताः प्राज्ञा नीतिशास्त्रविशारदाः । संभ्रमन्त्यापदं प्राप्य महतोऽर्थानवाप्य च ॥
English Translation
An intelligent and wise person and conversant with the science of policy never sinks, however great and terrible may be the danger which threatens him.
न त्वन्यामिह मार्जाराद्गतिं पश्यामि सांप्रतम् । विषमस्थो ह्ययं जन्तुः कृत्यं चास्य महन्मया ॥
English Translation
At present, however, I do not see any other refuge than this cat. He is an enemy. But he is in difficulty. The service that I can do him is verygreat.
जीवितार्थी कथं त्वद्य प्रार्थितः शत्रुभिस्त्रिभिः । तस्मादिममहं शत्रुं मार्जारं संश्रयामि वै ॥
English Translation
Three enemies are trying to devour me, and how should I now act for saving my life? I should now seek refuge with one of those enemies, viz., the cat.
क्षत्रविद्यां समाश्रित्य हितमस्योपधारये । येनेमं शत्रुसंघातं मतिपूर्वेण वञ्चये ॥
English Translation
Following policy, let me advice the cat for his behoof, so that I may, with my intelligence, escape from all three.
अयमत्यन्तशत्रुर्मे वैषम्यं परमं गतः । मूढो ग्राहयितुं स्वार्थं संगत्या यदि शक्यते ॥
English Translation
The cat is my great enemy, but the danger into which he has fallen is very great. Let me see if I can make this foolish creature understand his own interests. Having fallen into such difficulty he may make peace with me.
कदाचिद्व्यसनं प्राप्य संधिं कुर्यान्मया सह । बलिना संनिविष्टस्य शत्रोरपि परिग्रहः । कार्य इत्याहुराचार्या विषमे जीवितार्थिना ॥
English Translation
A person, when attacked by a stronger one, should make peace with even an enemy. People conversant with policy say that such should be the conduct of one, who being beset with danger seeks to save his life.
श्रेयान्हि पण्डितः शत्रुर्न च मित्रमपण्डितम् । मम ह्यमित्रे मार्जारे जीवितं संप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥
English Translation
It is better to have a learned person for an enemy than a fool for a friend. As for myself, my life now depends entirely on the hands of my enemy the cat.
हन्तैनं संप्रवक्ष्यामि हेतुमात्माभिरक्षणे । अपीदानीमयं शत्रुः संगत्या पण्डितो भवेत् ॥
English Translation
I shall now speak to the cat about his own liberation. Perhaps, now it would not be wrong to consider the cat an intelligent and learned enemy. Thus did that mouse, surrounded by foes, think.
ततोऽर्थगतितत्त्वज्ञः संधिविग्रहकालवित् । सान्त्वपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं मार्जारं मूषकोऽब्रवीत् ॥
English Translation
Having thought thus, the mouse, well-read in the science of Profit and well-acquainted with times when war should be declared and peace made, gently spoke to the cat, saying,
सौहृदेनाभिभाषे त्वा कच्चिन्मार्जार जीवसि । जीवितं हि तवेच्छामि श्रेयः साधारणं हि नौ ॥
English Translation
I speak to you as a friend. O cat! Are you alive? I wish you to live! I seek the good of us both.
न ते सौम्य विषत्तव्यं जीविष्यसि यथा पुरा । अहं त्वामुद्धरिष्यामि प्राणाञ्जह्यां हि ते कृते ॥
English Translation
O amiable one, you have no cause for fear. You will live in happiness! I shall save you, If, indeed, you do not kill me.
अस्ति कश्चिदुपायोऽत्र पुष्कलः प्रतिभाति माम् । येन शक्यस्त्वया मोक्षः प्राप्तुं श्रेयो यथा मया ॥
English Translation
There is a very good means I see by which you may obtain escape and I may acquire great benefit.
मया ह्युपायो दृष्टोऽयं विचार्य मतिमात्मनः । आत्मार्थं च त्वदर्थं च श्रेयः साधारणं हि नौ ॥
English Translation
By thinking I have found out this expedient for your sake and for my sake, for it will do us both good.
इदं हि नकुलोलूकं पापबुद्ध्यभितः स्थितम् । न धर्षयति मार्जार तेन मे स्वस्ति सांप्रतम् ॥
English Translation
There are the mongoose and the owl, both waiting with evil desire. O cat, so long as they do not attack me, my life is safe.
कूजंश्चपलनेत्रोऽयं कौशिको मां निरीक्षते । नगशाखाग्रहस्तिष्ठंस्तस्याहं भृशमुद्विजे ॥
English Translation
There that wretched owl with restless looks and dreadful cries is seeing me from the branch of that tree! I am stricken with great fear.
सतां साप्तपदं सख्यं सवासो मेऽसि पण्डितः । सांवास्यकं करिष्यामि नास्ति ते मृत्युतो भयम् ॥
English Translation
Good men become friends by walking together only seven steps. Highly wise as you are, you are my friend. I shall treat you as a friend. You need have no fear now.
न हि शक्नोषि मार्जार पाशं छेत्तुं विना मया । अहं छेत्स्यामि ते पाशं यदि मां त्वं न हिंससि ॥
English Translation
Without my help, O cat, you will not be able to tear the net. I, however, shall cut the net for serving you, if you do not kill me.
त्वमाश्रितो नगस्याग्रं मूलं त्वहमुपाश्रितः । चिरोषिताविहावां वै वृक्षेऽस्मिन्विदितं हि ते ॥
English Translation
You have lived on this tree and I have lived at its foot. Both of us have lived here for many long years, All this is known to you.
यस्मिन्नाश्वसते कश्चिद्यश्च नाश्वसते क्वचित् । न तौ धीराः प्रशंसन्ति नित्यमुद्विग्नचेतसौ ॥
English Translation
The wise never laud him whom nobody trusts, nor him who never trusts another. Both of them are unhappy.
तस्माद्विवर्धतां प्रीतिः सत्या संगतिरस्तु नौ । कालातीतमपार्थं हि न प्रशंसन्ति पण्डिताः ॥
English Translation
Therefore, let our love for each other increase, and let us be united. The wise never speak highly of the attempt of doing an act when its opportunity is gone.
अर्थयुक्तिमिमां तावद्यथाभूतां निशामय । तव जीवितमिच्छामि त्वं ममेच्छसि जीवितम् ॥
English Translation
Know this to be the proper time for such a compact between us. I wish that you should live, and you also wish that I should live.
← Previous (Ch. 1463) Full Table of Contents Next (Ch. 1465) →