भीष्म उवाच स पल्या वचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मयुक्तिसमन्वितम्। हर्षेण महता युक्तो वाक्यं व्याकुललोचनः॥
Bhishma said Hearing these words of morality and reason spoken by his wife, the pigeon was filled with great delight and his eyes were bathed in tears of joy.
तं वै शाकुनिकं दृष्ट्वा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा। स पक्षी पूजयामास यत्नात् तं पक्षिजीविनम्॥
Seeing that fowler whose profession was to kill birds, the pigeon honoured him scrupulously according to scriptural rites.
उवाच स्वागतं तेऽद्य ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। संतापश्च न कर्तव्यः स्वगृहे वर्तते भवान्॥
Addressing him, he said,-You are welcome to-day. Tell me what I shall do for you. You should not repent. This is your home.
तद् ब्रवीतु भवान् क्षिप्रं किं करोमि किमिच्छसि। प्रणयेन ब्रवीमि त्वां त्वं हि नः शरणागतः॥
Tell me quickly what I am to do and what is your pleasure. I ask you this in good spirit, for you have sought protection of us.
अरावप्युचितं कार्यमातिथ्यं गृहमागते। छेत्तुमप्यागते छायां नोपसंहरते दुमः॥
Hospitality should be shown to even one's enemy when the latter comes to his house. The tree does not withdraw its shade from even the person who comes for cutting it down.
शरणागतस्य कर्तव्यमातिथ्यं हि प्रयत्नतः। पञ्चयज्ञप्रवृत्तेन गृहस्थेन विशेषतः॥
One should, with diligence do the duties of hospitality towards a person who seeks shelter. Indeed, one is particularly bound to do so if he leads the life of a house-holder that consists of the five sacrifices.
पञ्चयज्ञांस्तु यो मोहान्न करोति गृहाश्रमे। तस्य नायं न च परो लोको भवति धर्मतः॥
If one, while living like a house-holder, does, not from want of judgement, celebrate the five sacrifices, one loses, as laid down in the scriptures, both this and the next world.
तद् ब्रूहि मां सुविश्रब्धो यत् त्वं वाचा वदिष्यसि! तत् करिष्याम्यहं सर्वं मा त्वं शोके मनः कृथाः॥
Tell me then clearly and confidently what your wishes are. I will accomplish them all. Do not think of grieving.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा शकुनेर्लुब्धकोऽब्रवीत्। वाधते खलु मे शीतं संत्राणं हि विधीयताम्॥
Hearing these words of the bird, the fowler replied to him, saying,-I am benumbed with cold. Just make arrangements for warming me.
एवमुक्तस्तत: पक्षी पर्णान्यास्तीर्य भूतले। यथाशक्त्या हि पर्णेन ज्वलनार्थं दुतं ययौ॥
Thus addressed, the bird collected a number of dry leaves on the ground, and taking a leaf in his beaks quickly went away for fetching fire.
स गत्वाङ्गारकर्मान्तं गृहीत्वाग्निमथागतम्। स संदीप्तं महत् कृत्वा तमाह शरणागतम्। प्रतापय सुविश्रब्धः स्वगात्राण्यकुतोभयः॥ ततः शुष्केषु पर्णेषु पावकं सोऽप्यदीपयत्॥
Going where fire is kept, he got a little fire and returned. He then set fire to those dry leaves, and when they blazed up into a powerful fire, he said to his guest, Do you with confidence and fearlessness warm your limbs.
स तथोक्त स्तथेत्युक्त्वा लुब्धो गात्राण्यतापयत्। अग्निं प्रत्यागतप्राणस्ततः प्राह विहङ्गमम्॥ हर्षेण महताऽऽविष्टो वाक्यं व्याकुललोचनः। तथेमं शकुनिं दृष्ट्वा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥ दत्तमाहारमिच्छामि त्वया क्षुद् बाधते हि माम्। स तद्वचः प्रतिश्रुत्य वाक्यमाह विहङ्गमः॥ न मेऽस्ति विभवो येन नाशयेयं क्षुधां तव। उत्पन्नेन हि जीवामो वयं नित्यं वनौकसः॥
Thus addressed, the fowler said-So be it:-and began to warm his stiffened limbs. Regaining as if his life, the fowler said to his host,-Hunger is distressing me. I wish you to give me some food! — Hearing his words the bird said,-I have nothing in store by which you may satisfy your hunger. We, dwellers of the forest, always live upon what we get every day.
संचयो नास्ति चास्माकं मुनीनामिव भोजने। इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा तत्र विवर्णवदनोऽभवत्॥
Like the ascetics of the forest we never amass for the morrow!-Having said so, the bird's face grew pale.
कथं न खलु कर्तव्यमिति चिन्तापरस्तदा। बभूव भरतश्रेष्ठ गर्हयन् वृत्तिमात्मनः॥
He began to think aside as to what he should do and mentally blamed his own mode of living.
मुहूर्ताल्लब्धसंज्ञस्तु स पक्षी पक्षिघातिनम्। उवाच तर्पयिष्ये त्वां मुहूर्त प्रतिपालय॥
Soon, however, his mind became clear. Addressing the destroyer of birds, he said,-I shall please you!-Wait for a moment!
इत्युक्त्वा शुष्कपर्णस्तु समुज्ज्वाल्य हुताशनम्। हर्षेण महताऽऽविष्टः स पक्षी वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ ऋषीणां देवतानां च पितृणां च महात्मनाम्। श्रुतः पूर्वं मया धर्मो महानतिथिपूजने॥
Saying these words he lighted up a fire with the help of some dry leaves, and filled with joy, said,-I heard formerly from great Rishis, gods and Pitris that there is great merit in honouring a guest.
कुरुष्वानुग्रहं सौम्य सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते। निश्चिता खलु मे बुद्धिरतिथिप्रतिपूजने॥
O amiable one, be kind to me. To tell you the truth my heart is bent upon honouring you my guest.
ततः कृतप्रतिज्ञो वै स पक्षी प्रहसनिव) तमग्निं त्रि:परिक्रम्य प्रविवेश महामतिः॥
Having thus made up his mind, the great bird, with a smiling face, thrice went round that fire and then entered its flames.
अग्निमध्ये प्रविष्टं तु लुब्धो दृष्ट्वा तु पक्षिणम्। चिन्तयामास मनसा किमिदं वे मया कृतम्॥
Seeing the bird enter that fire, the fowler began to think! and asked himself,-What have I done.
अहो मम नृशंसस्य गर्हितस्य स्वकर्मणा। अधर्मः सुमहान् घोरो भविष्यति न संशयः॥
Alas, dreadful will be the sin, the outcome of my own acts. I am highly ruthless and blameable.
एवं बहुविधं भूरि विललाप स लुब्धकः। गार्हयन् स्वानि कर्माणि द्विजं दृष्ट्वा तथागतम्॥
Indeed, seeing the bird lay down his life, the fowler, considering his own acts, began to bewail thus piteously.
एवं बहुविधं भूरि विललाप स लुब्धकः। गार्हयन् स्वानि कर्माणि द्विजं दृष्ट्वा तथागतम्॥
Indeed, seeing the bird lay down his life, the fowler, considering his own acts, began to bewail thus piteously.