युधिष्ठिर उवाच पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वषास्त्रविशारद। शरणं पालयानस्य यो धर्मस्तं वदस्व मे।।।
Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O you of great wisdom, O you who are a master of scriptures, tell me what the merit is of one who supports a person seeking his protection.
भीष्म उवाच महान् धर्मो महाराज शरणागतपालने। अर्हः प्रष्टुं भवांश्चैव प्रश्नं भरतसत्तम॥
Bhishma said Great is the merit, O king, in supporting a suppliant. It is worthy of you, O best of the Bharatas, to ask such a question.
शिबिप्रभृतयो राजन् राजानः शरणागतान्। परिपाल्य महात्मानः संसिद्धिं परमां गताः॥
Those great kings of yore, viz., Shivi and others, o king, acquired supreme heavenly bliss by having supported suppliants.
श्रूयते च कपोतेन शत्रुः शरणमागतः। पूजितश्च यथान्यायं स्वैश्च मांसैर्निमन्त्रितः॥
We have heard that a pigeon received reverentially a suppliant enemy according to due rites and even fed him with his own flesh.'
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथं कपोतेन पुरा शत्रुः शरणमागतः। स्वमांसं भोजितः कां च गति लेभे स भारत॥
Yudhishthira said How, indeed, did a pigeon in days of yore feed a suppliant enemy with his own flesh? What end, O Bharata, did he win by such conduct.
भीष्म उवाच शृणु राजन् कथां दिव्यां सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम्। नृपतेर्मुचुकुन्दस्य कथितां भार्गवेण वै॥
Listen, O king, to this most Beautiful story which cleanses the hearer of every sin, and which Bhrigu's son (Rama) had recited to king Muchukunda.
पार्थ मुचुकुन्दो नराधिपः। भार्गवं परिपप्रच्छ प्रणतः पुरुषर्षभ॥
This very question, O son of Pritha, had been put humbly to Bhrigu's son by Muchukunda.
इममर्थं पुरा तस्मै शुश्रूषमाणाय भार्गवोऽकथयत् कथाम्। इमां यथा कपोतेन सिद्धिः प्राप्ता नराधिप॥
The son of Bhrigu described this story to him of how a pigeon, O king, won success.
मुनिरुवाच धर्मनिश्चयसंयुक्तां कामार्थसहितां कथाम्। शृणुष्वावहितो राजन् गदतो मे महाभुज॥
The sage said O mighty-armed king, listen to me as I describe to you this story containing lessons of Virtue, profit, and Desire.
कश्चित् क्षुद्रसमाचारः पृथिव्यां कालसम्मितः। विचचार महारण्ये घोरः शकुनिलुब्धकः॥
A wicked and dreadful fowler, resembling the Destroyer himself, used in days of yore to wander through the great wilderness.
काकोल इव कृष्णाङ्गो रक्ताक्षः कालसम्मितः। दीर्घजको ह्रस्वपादो महावक्त्रो महाहनुः॥
He was black as a raven and his eyes were blood red. He looked like Yama himself. He had long legs, short feet, large mouth, and protruding cheeks.
नैव तस्य सुहृत् कश्चिन्न सम्बन्धी न बान्धवाः। स हि तैः सम्परित्यक्तस्तेन रौद्रेण कर्मणा॥
He had no friend, no relative, no kinsman. He had been discarded by them all for the exceedingly cruel life he led.
नरः पापसमाचारस्त्यक्तव्यो दूरतो बुधैः। आत्मानं योऽभिसंधत्ते सोऽन्यस्य स्यात् कथं हितः।।१३।
Indeed, a wicked man should be shunned from a distance by the wise, for he who injures his ownself cannot be expected to do others good.
ये नृशंसा दुरात्मानः प्राणिप्राणहरा नराः। उद्वेजनीया भूतानां व्याला इव भवन्ति ते॥
Those cruel and wicked men who destroy the lives of other creatures are always like venomous snakes, a source of trouble to all creatures.
वै क्षारकमादाय द्विजान् हत्वा वने सदा। चकार विक्रयं तेषां पतङ्गानां जनाधिप॥
Taking his nets with him, and killing birds in the forests, he used to sell the meat, О king.
एवं तु वर्तमानस्य तस्य वृत्तिं दुरात्मनः। अगमत् सुमहान् कालो न चाधर्ममबुध्यत॥
Thus working, the wicked wretch lived for many long years without ever understanding the sinfulness of his life.
तस्य भार्यासहायस्य रममाणस्य शाश्वतम्। दैवयोगविमूढस्य नान्या वृत्तिररोचत॥
He was in the habit of sporting with his wife in the forest for many long years in the pursuit of this profession, and stupefied by destiny, he liked no other profession.
ततः कदाचित् तस्थाय वनस्थस्य समन्ततः। पातयन्निव वृक्षांस्तान् सुमहान् वातसम्भ्रमः॥
One day as he was wandering through the forest carrying on his business a great storm took place that shook the trees, almost uprooting them.
मेघसंकुलमाकाशं विद्युन्मण्डलमण्डितम्। संछन्नस्तु मुहूर्तेन नौसाथैरिव सागरः॥
In a moment dense masses of clouds set in the sky, accompanied with lightning and presenting the view of a sea covered with merchant boats and vessels.
वारिधारासमूहेन सम्प्रविष्टः शतक्रतुः। क्षणेन पूरयामास सलिलेन वसुन्धराम्॥
The god of a hundred sacrifices having entered the clouds with a profuse supply of rain, the Earth became flooded with water in a moment.
ततो धाराकुले काले सम्भ्रमन् नष्टचेतनः। शीतार्तस्तद् वनं सर्वमाकुलेनान्तरात्मना॥
While the rain fell in torrents, the flower lost his sense from fear. Trembling with cold and stricken with fear, he roamed through the forest.
नैव निम्न स्थलं वापि सोऽविन्दत विहङ्गहा। पूरितो हि जलौघेन तस्य मार्गो वनस्य च॥
He could not find any elevated spot (which was not under water). The paths of the forest were all under water.
पक्षिणो वर्षवेगेन हता लीनास्तदाभवन्। मृगसिंहवराहाच स्थलमाश्रित्य शेरते॥
For the force of the rain, many birds dropped down dead on the ground. Securing some elevated spots they had found, lions and bears and to her animals lay down to rest.
महता वातवर्षेण त्रासितास्ते वनौकसः। भयार्ताश्च क्षुधार्ताश्च बभ्रमुः सहिता वने॥
All the dwellers of the forest were stricken with fear for that dreadful storm and rain. Terrified and hungry, they roved through the forest in small and large packs.
स तु शीतहतैर्गात्रैर्न जगाम न तस्थिवान्। ददर्श पतितां भूमौ कपोती शीतविह्वलाम्॥
With limbs benumbed by cold, the fowler, however, could neither stop where he was, nor could he move. While in this state he saw shepigeon lying on the ground, benumbed with cold.
दृष्ट्वाऽऽर्तोऽपि हि पापात्मा स तां पञ्जरकेऽक्षिपत्। स्वयं दुःखाभिभूतोऽपि दुःखमेवाकरोत् परे॥ पापात्मा पापकारित्वात् पापमेव चकार सः।
Beholding the birds, the sinful person, though he himself himself was in better circumstances, picked her up and put her in a cage. Himself afflicted with distress, he did not hesitate to overwhelm a fellow-creature with painful affliction.
सोऽपश्यत् तरुखण्डेषु मेघनीलवनस्पतिम्॥ सेव्यमानं विहङ्गौघैश्छायावासफलार्थिभिः।
Indeed, through force of habit alone, the wretch committed that sin even at such a time. He then saw in midst of that wood a huge tree blue as the clouds. no
धात्रा परोपकाराय स साधुरिव निर्मितः॥ अथाभवत् क्षणेनैव वियद् विमलतारकम्।
It was the refuge of numberless birds seeking shade and shelter, as if it were placed there by the Creator for the behoof of all creatures like a good man in the world.
महत्सर इवोत्फुल्लं कुमुदच्छरितोदकम्॥ ताराढ्यं कुमुदाकारमाकाशं निर्मलं बहु।
Soon the sky cleared and became spangled with myriads of stars appearing like a splendid lake smiling with blooming lilies.
घनैर्मुक्तं नभो दृष्ट्वा लुब्धकः शीतविह्वलः॥ दिशो विलोकयामास विगाढां प्रेक्ष्य शर्वरीम्।
Looking at the clear sky, rich with stars, the fowler began to advance, still trembling with cold. Seeing the sky cleared of clouds, he looked around and finding that he had already been benighted, he began to think.
दूरतो मे निवेशश्च अस्माद् देशादिति प्रभो॥ कृतबुद्धिर्द्धमे तस्मिन् वस्तुं तां रजनी ततः।
My house is at a great distance from where I am!-He then thought of passing the night under the shade of that tree.
साञ्जलिः प्रणतिं कृत्वा वाक्यमाह वनस्पतिम्॥ शरणं यामि यान्यस्मिन् दैवतानि वनस्पतौ।
Bowing down to it with clasped hands, he addressed that king of the forest, saying,-I seek refuge with all the gods who have this tree for their resting place.
स शिलायां शिरः कृत्वा पर्णान्यास्तीर्य भूतले। दुःखेन महताऽऽविश्स्ततः सुष्वाप पक्षिहा॥
Having said so, he spread some leaves for a bed, and laid himself down on it, placing his head on a stone. In spite of his being overwhelmed with affliction, the man soon fell asleep.