युधिष्ठिर उवाच आनृशंस्यस्य धर्मज्ञ गुणान् भक्तजनस्य च। श्रोतुमिच्छामि धर्मज्ञ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
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.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। वासवस्य च संवादं शुकस्य च महात्मनः॥
Bhishma said “Regarding it, this ancient legend, the story of Vasava and the great Shuka, is cited as an illustration.
विषये काशिराजस्य ग्रामानिष्क्रम्य लुब्धकः। सविषं काण्डमादाय मृगयामास वै मृगम्॥
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 मृगान् दृष्ट्वा बाणः प्रतिसमाहितः॥
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। महान् वनतरुस्तत्र विद्धो मृगजिघांसया॥
The arrow of that fowler of irresistible arms, shot for the destruction of the antelope, missing its aim, pierced a powerful foresttree.
स तीक्ष्णविषदिग्धेन शरेणातिवलात् क्षतः। उत्सृज्य फलपत्राणि पादपः शोषमागतः॥
The tree, pierced with that arrow covered with dreadful poison, withered away, shedding its leaves and fruits.
तस्मिन् वृक्षे तथाभूते कोटरेषु चिरोषितः। न जहाति शुको वासं तस्य भक्त्या वनस्पतेः॥
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 ग्लान: शिथिलवागपि। कृतज्ञः सह वृक्षण धर्मात्मा सोऽप्यशुष्यत॥
Motionless starving, silent and sorrowful, that grateful and virtuous parrot also withered away with the tree.
तमुदारं महासत्त्वमतिमानुषचेष्टितम्। समदुःखसुखं दृष्ट्वा विस्मित: पाकशासनः॥
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। तिर्यग्योनावसम्भाव्यमानृशंस्यमवस्थितः॥
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?
अथवा नात्र चित्रं हि अभवद् वासवस्य तु। प्राणिनामपि सर्वेषां सर्वं सर्वत्र दृश्यते॥
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॥
Assuming then the shape of a Brahmana, Shakra went on the Earth and addressing the bird, said:
शुक भो पक्षिणां श्रेष्ठ दाक्षेयी सुप्रजा त्वया। पृच्छे त्वां शुकमेनं त्वं कस्मान्न त्यजसि दुमम्॥
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 मूर्धा समभिवाद्य तम्। स्वागतं देवराज त्वं विज्ञातस्तपसा मया॥
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 मनसा पूजितस्ततः॥
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 प्रीतिं पप्रच्छ बलसूदनः॥
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॥ अन्येऽपि बहवो वृक्षाः पत्रसंच्छन्नकोटराः। पर्याप्तसंचारा विद्यन्तेऽस्मिन् महावने॥
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.
गतायुषमसामर्थ्य क्षीणसारं हतश्रियम्। विमृश्य प्रज्ञया धीर जहीमं स्थविरं दुमम्॥
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.
भीष्म उवाच तदुपश्रुत्य धर्मात्मा शुकः शक्रेण भाषितम्। शुभाः पर्या सुदीर्घमतिनिःश्वस्य दीनो वाक्यमुवाच ह॥ अनतिक्रमणीयानि दैवतानि शचीपते। यत्राभवत् तव प्रश्नस्तन्निबोध सुराधिप॥
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.
अस्मिन्नहं दुमे जातः साधुभिश्च गुणैर्युतः। बालभावेन संगुप्तः शत्रुभिश्च न धर्षितः॥
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.
किमनुक्रोश्य वैफल्यमुत्पादयसि मेऽनघ। आनृशंस्याभियुक्तस्य भक्तस्यानन्यगस्य च॥
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 महद्धर्मस्य लक्षणम्। अनुक्रोशश्च साधूनां सदा प्रीतिं प्रयच्छति॥
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 पृच्छसे धर्मसंशयात्। अतस्त्वं देवदेवानामाधिपत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः॥
All the gods ask you to remove their doubts in religion, and for this reason, O lord, you have been elected their king.
नार्हसे मां सहस्त्राक्ष दुमं त्याजयितुं चिरात्। समर्थमुपजीव्येमं त्यजेयं कथमद्य वै॥ तस्य वाक्येन सौम्येन हर्षित: पाकशासनः। शुकं प्रोवाच धर्मात्मा आनृशंस्येन तोषितः॥
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 वने वरं शुकः। आनृशंस्यपरो नित्यं तस्य वृक्षस्य सम्भवम्॥
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 भक्तिं तां शुके शीलसम्पदम्। प्रीतः क्षिप्रमथो वृक्षममृतेनावसिक्तवान्॥
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 मनोहराः। शुकस्य दृढभक्तित्वाच्छ्रीमतां प्राप स दुमः॥ शुकश्च कर्मणा तेन आनृशंस्यकृतेन वै। आयुषोऽन्ते महाराज प्राप शक्रसलोकताम्॥
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॥
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."