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Mahābhārata • Parva 13 (Anuśāsanaparva) • Adhyāya 5

Anuśāsanaparva Adhyāya 5

अनुशासनपर्व • अध्यायः 5

Anuśāsanaparva Adhyāya 5 of the classical Mahābhārata with 32 verses.

Total: 32 Verses • Citations: MBh 13.5.1–32 • 250 Lexicon Terms
आनृशंसस्य धर्मस्य गुणान्भक्तजनस्य च । श्रोतुमिच्छामि कार्त्स्न्येन तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥
English Translation
Yudhishthira said O you who know the truths of religion, I wish to hear of the merits of religion, I wish to hear of the merits of mercy, and of the marks of devout men! Do you, O sire, describe them to me.
विषये काशिराजस्य ग्रामान्निष्क्रम्य लुब्धकः । सविषं काण्डमादाय मृगयामास वै मृगम् ॥
English Translation
In the dominion of the king of Kashi, a fowler, having poisoned arrows with him, went out of his village on hunting expedition in search of antelopes.
तत्र चामिषलुब्धेन लुब्धकेन महावने । अविदूरे मृगं दृष्ट्वा बाणः प्रतिसमाहितः ॥
English Translation
Desirous of getting meat, when in a big forest in pursuit of the chase, he saw a drove of antelopes near at hand, and shot his arrow at one of them.
तेन दुर्वारितास्त्रेण निमित्तचपलेषुणा । महान्वनतरुर्विद्धो मृगं तत्र जिघांसता ॥
English Translation
The arrow of that fowler of irresistible arms, shot for the destruction of the antelope, missing its aim, pierced a powerful foresttree.
स तीक्ष्णविषदिग्धेन शरेणातिबलात्कृतः । उत्सृज्य फलपत्राणि पादपः शोषमागतः ॥
English Translation
The tree, pierced with that arrow covered with dreadful poison, withered away, shedding its leaves and fruits.
तस्मिन्वृक्षे तथाभूते कोटरेषु चिरोषितः । न जहाति शुको वासं तस्य भक्त्या वनस्पतेः ॥
English Translation
The tree having thus withered, a parrot which had lived in a hollow of its trunk all his life, did not leave his nest out of affection for that lordly tree.
निष्प्रचारो निराहारो ग्लानः शिथिलवागपि । कृतज्ञः सह वृक्षेण धर्मात्मा स व्यशुष्यत ॥
English Translation
Motionless starving, silent and sorrowful, that grateful and virtuous parrot also withered away with the tree.
तमुदारं महासत्त्वमतिमानुषचेष्टितम् । समदुःखसुखं ज्ञात्वा विस्मितः पाकशासनः ॥
English Translation
The conqueror of Paka (Indra) was filled with wonder upon seeing that great and generous bird thus uninfluenced by misery or happiness and possessing extraordinary resolution.
ततश्चिन्तामुपगतः शक्रः कथमयं द्विजः । तिर्यग्योनावसंभाव्यमानृशंस्यं समास्थितः ॥
English Translation
Then Shakra thought, How could this bird come to possess such humane and generous feelings which cannot be seen in one of the lower animal creation?
अथ वा नात्र चित्रं हीत्यभवद्वासवस्य तु । प्राणिनामिह सर्वेषां सर्वं सर्वत्र दृश्यते ॥
English Translation
There is nothing wonderful in the matter, for all crcatures are seen to show kindly and generous feelings towards others.
ततो ब्राह्मणवेषेण मानुषं रूपमास्थितः । अवतीर्य महीं शक्रस्तं पक्षिणमुवाच ह ॥
English Translation
Assuming then the shape of a Brahmana, Shakra went on the Earth and addressing the bird, said:
शुक भोः पक्षिणां श्रेष्ठ दाक्षेयी सुप्रजास्त्वया । पृच्छे त्वा शुष्कमेतं वै कस्मान्न त्यजसि द्रुमम् ॥
English Translation
O Suka, O best of birds, the granddaughter of Daksha has become blessed (by having you as her offspring)! I ask you, why do you not leave this withered tree?
अथ पृष्टः शुकः प्राह मूर्ध्ना समभिवाद्य तम् । स्वागतं देवराजाय विज्ञातस्तपसा मया ॥
English Translation
Thus accosted, the Shuka bowed to him and thus replied: Welcome to you, O king of the gods, I have recognised you by the merit of my austere penances.
ततो दशशताक्षेण साधु साध्विति भाषितम् । अहो विज्ञानमित्येवं तपसा पूजितस्ततः ॥
English Translation
Well-done, well-done! said the thousandeyed god. Then the latter lauded him in his mind, saying 0, how wonderful is the knowledge which he possesses.
तमेवं शुभकर्माणं शुकं परमधार्मिकम् । विजानन्नपि तां प्राप्तिं पप्रच्छ बलसूदनः ॥
English Translation
Although the destroyer of Vala knew that parrot to be of a greatly virtuous character and meritorious in action, he still enquired of him about the reason of his love for the tree.
निष्पत्रमफलं शुष्कमशरण्यं पतत्रिणाम् । किमर्थं सेवसे वृक्षं यदा महदिदं वनम् ॥
English Translation
This tree is withered and it is without leaves and fruits, and is unfit to be the refuge of birds. Why do you then cling to it? This forest too is vast and in this wilderness there are numberless other good trees whose hollows are covered with leaves and which you can choose freely and to your heart's content.
अन्येऽपि बहवो वृक्षाः पत्रसंछन्नकोटराः । शुभाः पर्याप्तसंचारा विद्यन्तेऽस्मिन्महावने ॥
English Translation
This tree is withered and it is without leaves and fruits, and is unfit to be the refuge of birds. Why do you then cling to it? This forest too is vast and in this wilderness there are numberless other good trees whose hollows are covered with leaves and which you can choose freely and to your heart's content.
गतायुषमसामर्थ्यं क्षीणसारं हतश्रियम् । विमृश्य प्रज्ञया धीर जहीमं ह्यस्थिरं द्रुमम् ॥
English Translation
patient one, displaying proper discrimination in your wisdom, do you leave this old tree that is dead and useless and shorn of all its leaves and no longer capable of any good.
तदुपश्रुत्य धर्मात्मा शुकः शक्रेण भाषितम् । सुदीर्घमभिनिःश्वस्य दीनो वाक्यमुवाच ह ॥
English Translation
Bhishma said Hearing these words of Shakra, the virtuous Shuka, heaved a deep sigh, and sorrowfully replied to him, saying O husband of Sachi, and chief of the gods, the ordinances of the gods should always be obeyed. Do you hear of the reason of the thing about which you have asked me.
अनतिक्रमणीयानि दैवतानि शचीपते । यत्राभवस्तत्र भवस्तन्निबोध सुराधिप ॥
अस्मिन्नहं द्रुमे जातः साधुभिश्च गुणैर्युतः । बालभावे च संगुप्तः शत्रुभिश्च न धर्षितः ॥
English Translation
Here, within this tree, was I born and here in this tree have all the good traits of my character been developed, and here in this tree was I protected in my infancy from the attacks of my enemies.
किमनुक्रोशवैफल्यमुत्पादयसि मेऽनघ । आनृशंस्येऽनुरक्तस्य भक्तस्यानुगतस्य च ॥
English Translation
O sinless one, why are you, in your kindness, interfering with the principle of my conduct in life? I am merciful and devoutly intent on virtue, and firm in conduct.
अनुक्रोशो हि साधूनां सुमहद्धर्मलक्षणम् । अनुक्रोशश्च साधूनां सदा प्रीतिं प्रयच्छति ॥
English Translation
Kindliness of feeling is the highest test of virtue amongst the good, and this same merciful and humane feeling is the source of eternal happiness to the virtuous,
त्वमेव दैवतैः सर्वैः पृच्छ्यसे धर्मसंशयान् । अतस्त्वं देव देवानामाधिपत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः ॥
English Translation
All the gods ask you to remove their doubts in religion, and for this reason, O lord, you have been elected their king.
नार्हसि त्वं सहस्राक्ष त्याजयित्वेह भक्तितः । समर्थमुपजीव्येमं त्यजेयं कथमद्य वै ॥
तस्य वाक्येन सौम्येन हर्षितः पाकशासनः । शुकं प्रोवाच धर्मज्ञमानृशंस्येन तोषितः ॥
English Translation
You should not, O thousandeyed one, advise me now to leave this tree for good. When it was capable of good, it supported my life. How can I leave it now? Pleased with these wellmeant words of the parrot, the virtuous destroyer of Paka, thus said to him:I am pleased with your humane and merciful disposition.
वरं वृणीष्वेति तदा स च वव्रे वरं शुकः । आनृशंस्यपरो नित्यं तस्य वृक्षस्य संभवम् ॥
English Translation
Do you ask a boon of me. At this, the merciful parrot craved this boon of him, saying Let this tree revive.
विदित्वा च दृढां शक्रस्तां शुके शीलसंपदम् । प्रीतः क्षिप्रमथो वृक्षममृतेनावसिक्तवान् ॥
English Translation
Knowing the great attachment of the parrot to that tree and great high character, Indra, wellpleased, caused the tree to be quickly sprinkled over with nectar.
ततः फलानि पत्राणि शाखाश्चापि मनोरमाः । शुकस्य दृढभक्तित्वाच्छ्रीमत्त्वं चाप स द्रुमः ॥
English Translation
Then that tree became revived and grand through the penanres of the parrot, and the latter, too, O great king, at the end of his life, acquired the companionship of Shakra by virtue of that act of mercy.
शुकश्च कर्मणा तेन आनृशंस्यकृतेन ह । आयुषोऽन्ते महाराज प्राप शक्रसलोकताम् ॥
English Translation
Then that tree became revived and grand through the penanres of the parrot, and the latter, too, O great king, at the end of his life, acquired the companionship of Shakra by virtue of that act of mercy.
एवमेव मनुष्येन्द्र भक्तिमन्तं समाश्रितः । सर्वार्थसिद्धिं लभते शुकं प्राप्य यथा द्रुमः ॥
English Translation
Thus, o king, by communion and companionship with the pious, people acquire all the objects of their desire even as the tree did through its companionship with the parrot."
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