Indra and the Faithful Parrot

Verse 1 (13.11.1)

आनृशंस्यस्य धर्मज्ञ गुणान्भक्तजनस्य च । श्रोतुमिच्छामि धर्मज्ञ तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

ānṛśaṃsyasya dharmajña guṇānbhaktajanasya ca | śrotumicchāmi dharmajña tanme brūhi pitāmaha

Yudhishthira said: O knower of dharma, I wish to hear of the merits of compassion and of the devoted; tell me that, Grandsire.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: line 1 आनृशंस्यस्य धर्मज्ञ (CE ānṛśaṃsasya dharmasya) and line 2 श्रोतुमिच्छामि धर्मज्ञ (CE śrotum icchāmi kārtsnyena), CE 13.5.1.

Verse 2 (13.11.2)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । वासवस्य च संवादं शुकस्य च महात्मनः ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | vāsavasya ca saṃvādaṃ śukasya ca mahātmanaḥ

Bhishma said: On this point they recount an ancient tale: the conversation between Indra and the great-souled Shuka.

Note on the text: The alignment pointed to 13.38.2 in error. Both lines are the CE star passage 13.5.2*0030_01-02 (atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam / vāsavasya ca saṃvādaṃ śukasya ca mahātmanaḥ), printed before 13.5.2a; not a main-text verse of the CE.

Verse 3 (13.11.3)

विषये काशिराजस्य ग्रामान्निष्क्रम्य लुब्धकः । सविषं काण्डमादाय मृगयामास वै मृगम् ॥

viṣaye kāśirājasya grāmānniṣkramya lubdhakaḥ | saviṣaṃ kāṇḍamādāya mṛgayāmāsa vai mṛgam

In the realm of the king of Kashi, a hunter went out from a village, took an arrow smeared with poison, and went hunting a deer.

Verse 4 (13.11.4)

तत्र चामिषलुब्धेन लुब्धकेन महावने । अविदूरे मृगान्दृष्ट्वा बाणः प्रतिसमाहितः ॥

tatra cāmiṣalubdhena lubdhakena mahāvane | avidūre mṛgāndṛṣṭvā bāṇaḥ pratisamāhitaḥ

There in the great forest the hunter, greedy for meat, saw deer not far off and fitted his arrow.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: मृगान् दृष्ट्वा for CE mṛgaṃ dṛṣṭvā (13.5.3c).

Verse 5 (13.11.5)

तेन दुर्वारितास्त्रेण निमित्तचपलेषुणा । महान्वनतरुस्तत्र विद्धो मृगजिघांसया ॥

tena durvāritāstreṇa nimittacapaleṣuṇā | mahānvanatarustatra viddho mṛgajighāṃsayā

With that arrow, hard to ward off, flighty in its aim, a great forest tree was struck there, as he sought to kill a deer.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: line 2 महान्वनतरुस्तत्र विद्धो मृगजिघांसया for CE mahān vanatarur viddho mṛgaṃ tatra jighāṃsatā (13.5.4c).

Verse 6 (13.11.6)

स तीक्ष्णविषदिग्धेन शरेणातिबलात्क्षतः । उत्सृज्य फलपत्राणि पादपः शोषमागतः ॥

sa tīkṣṇaviṣadigdhena śareṇātibalātkṣataḥ | utsṛjya phalapatrāṇi pādapaḥ śoṣamāgataḥ

Struck hard by the arrow dipped in sharp poison, the tree shed its fruits and leaves and withered.

Verse 7 (13.11.7)

तस्मिन्वृक्षे तथाभूते कोटरेषु चिरोषितः । न जहाति शुको वासं तस्य भक्त्या वनस्पतेः ॥

tasminvṛkṣe tathābhūte koṭareṣu ciroṣitaḥ | na jahāti śuko vāsaṃ tasya bhaktyā vanaspateḥ

In that tree, ruined as it was, a parrot that had long lived in its hollows did not leave his home, out of devotion to the lord of the forest.

Verse 8 (13.11.8)

निष्प्रचारो निराहारो ग्लानः शिथिलवागपि । कृतज्ञः सह वृक्षेण धर्मात्मा सोऽप्यशुष्यत ॥

niṣpracāro nirāhāro glānaḥ śithilavāgapi | kṛtajñaḥ saha vṛkṣeṇa dharmātmā so'pyaśuṣyata

Without foraging, without food, wasted, his voice faint, the grateful and righteous bird withered away with the tree.

Note on the text: Corrected सोप्यशुष्यत → सोऽप्यशुष्यत (misprint in Wikisource: the avagraha is dropped). Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.5.7c (kṛtajñaḥ saha vṛkṣeṇa dharmātmā sa vyaśuṣyata), kept.

Verse 9 (13.11.9)

तमुदारं महासत्वमतिमानुषचेष्टितम् । समदुःखसुखं दृष्ट्वा विस्मितः पाकशासनः ॥

tamudāraṃ mahāsatvamatimānuṣaceṣṭitam | samaduḥkhasukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā vismitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ

Seeing that noble, great-souled bird, whose conduct was beyond the human, sharing the tree's joy and sorrow alike, Indra was amazed.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: line 2 समदुःखसुखं दृष्ट्वा (CE samaduḥkhasukhaṃ jñātvā), CE 13.5.8c.

Verse 10 (13.11.10)

ततश्चिन्तामुपगतः शक्रः कथमयं द्विजः । तिर्यग्योनावसम्भाव्यमानृशंस्यमवस्थितः ॥

tataścintāmupagataḥ śakraḥ kathamayaṃ dvijaḥ | tiryagyonāvasambhāvyamānṛśaṃsyamavasthitaḥ

Then Shakra fell to thinking: how has this bird, born a beast, come to such compassion, which seems beyond belief?

Verse 11 (13.11.11)

अथवा नात्र चित्रं हीत्यभवद्वासवस्य तु । प्राणिनामपि सर्वेषां सर्वं सर्वत्र दृश्यते ॥

athavā nātra citraṃ hītyabhavadvāsavasya tu | prāṇināmapi sarveṣāṃ sarvaṃ sarvatra dṛśyate

Or perhaps there is nothing strange in it, Indra reflected, for everything is seen everywhere among all living beings.

Verse 12 (13.11.12)

ततो ब्राह्मणवेषेण मानुषं रूपमास्थितः । अवतीर्य महीं शक्रस्तं पक्षिणमुवाच ह ॥

tato brāhmaṇaveṣeṇa mānuṣaṃ rūpamāsthitaḥ | avatīrya mahīṃ śakrastaṃ pakṣiṇamuvāca ha

Then, taking a brahmin's guise and a human form, Shakra came down to the earth and spoke to the bird.

Note on the text: Corrected ब्राह्मणवेषेणि → ब्राह्मणवेषेण (misprint in Wikisource: stray ि; CE brāhmaṇaveṣeṇa).

Verse 13 (13.11.13)

शुक भो पक्षिणांश्रेष्ठ दाक्षेयी सुप्रजास्त्वया । पृच्छे त्वां शुष्कमेनं त्वं कस्मान्न त्यजसि द्रुमम् ॥

śuka bho pakṣiṇāṃśreṣṭha dākṣeyī suprajāstvayā | pṛcche tvāṃ śuṣkamenaṃ tvaṃ kasmānna tyajasi drumam

Indra said: O Shuka, best of birds, through you the line of Daksha's daughter is blessed with fine offspring. I ask you this, parrot: why do you not leave this withered tree?

Note on the text: Corrected शुकमेनं → शुष्कमेनं (misprint in Wikisource: the ष् of the conjunct is lost, which leaves a meaningless "this parrot"; CE śuṣkam etaṃ, "this withered one"). Speaker supplied: Indra, whose direct speech fills the whole verse; the page has no heading.

Verse 14 (13.11.14)

अथ पृष्टः शुकः प्राह मूर्ध्ना समभिवाद्य तम् । स्वागतं देवराज त्वं विज्ञातस्तपसा मया ॥

atha pṛṣṭaḥ śukaḥ prāha mūrdhnā samabhivādya tam | svāgataṃ devarāja tvaṃ vijñātastapasā mayā

Bhishma said: Then, questioned, the parrot bowed his head to him and said, 'Welcome, king of the gods; I know you through my austerity.'

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: स्वागतं देवराज त्वं (CE svāgataṃ devarājāya) in line 2, CE 13.5.13c. The parrot's words begin inside the verse, introduced by प्राह, so the verse is not split.

Verse 15 (13.11.15)

ततो दशशताक्षेण साधुसाध्विति भाषितम् । अहो विज्ञानमित्येवं मनसा पूजितस्ततः ॥

tato daśaśatākṣeṇa sādhusādhviti bhāṣitam | aho vijñānamityevaṃ manasā pūjitastataḥ

Then the thousand-eyed god said, 'Well done, well done! What insight!' and so honoured him in his mind.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: मनसा पूजितस्ततः for CE tapasā pūjitas tataḥ (13.5.14c).

Verse 16 (13.11.16)

तमेवं शुभकर्माणं शुकं परमधार्मिकम् । जानन्नपि च तत्पापं पप्रच्छ बलसूदनः ॥

tamevaṃ śubhakarmāṇaṃ śukaṃ paramadhārmikam | jānannapi ca tatpāpaṃ papraccha balasūdanaḥ

Though he knew that sorry matter, the slayer of Bala questioned the parrot, so virtuous in his deeds and supremely righteous.

Note on the text: Recension variants, kept: line 2 जानन्नपि च तत्पापं (CE vijānann api tāṃ prāptiṃ; the CE star 13.5.15d*0031_01 reads jānann api ca tatprāptiṃ). Line 1 as CE 13.5.15a.

Verse 17 (13.11.17)

निष्पत्रमफलं शुष्कमशरण्यं पतत्त्रिणाम् । किमर्थं सेवसे वृक्षं यदा महदिदं वनम् ॥

niṣpatramaphalaṃ śuṣkamaśaraṇyaṃ patattriṇām | kimarthaṃ sevase vṛkṣaṃ yadā mahadidaṃ vanam

Indra said: Leafless, fruitless, dried up, no shelter for birds: why do you resort to this tree, when this forest is so vast?

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Indra (Shakra), whose direct speech fills verses 17-19; the page has no heading before it.

Verse 18 (13.11.18)

अन्येऽपि बहवो वृक्षाः पत्रसंछन्नकोटराः । शुभाः पर्याप्तसञ्चारा विद्यन्तेऽस्मिन्महावने ॥

anye'pi bahavo vṛkṣāḥ patrasaṃchannakoṭarāḥ | śubhāḥ paryāptasañcārā vidyante'sminmahāvane

There are many other trees in this great forest, with hollows hidden by leaves, fair ones, with ample room to move about.

Note on the text: Indra's speech continues.

Verse 19 (13.11.19)

गतायुषमसामर्थ्यं क्षीणसारं हतश्रियम् । विमृश्य प्रज्ञया धीर जहीमं ह्यस्थिरं द्रुमम् ॥

gatāyuṣamasāmarthyaṃ kṣīṇasāraṃ hataśriyam | vimṛśya prajñayā dhīra jahīmaṃ hyasthiraṃ drumam

See that this tree has lost its life, is powerless, its sap spent and its splendour gone; consider it with your wits, wise one, and leave this unsteady tree.

Note on the text: Indra's speech continues.

Verse 20 (13.11.20)

तदुपश्रुत्य धर्मात्मा शुकः शक्रेण भाषितम् । सुदीर्घमतिनिःश्वस्य दीनो वाक्यमुवाच ह ॥

tadupaśrutya dharmātmā śukaḥ śakreṇa bhāṣitam | sudīrghamatiniḥśvasya dīno vākyamuvāca ha

Bhishma said: Hearing what Shakra had said, the righteous parrot sighed deeply, and in distress spoke these words.

Verse 21 (13.11.21)

अनतिक्रमणीयानि दैवतानि शचीपते । यत्राभवंस्तत्र भवांस्तन्निबोध सुराधिप ॥

anatikramaṇīyāni daivatāni śacīpate | yatrābhavaṃstatra bhavāṃstannibodha surādhipa

Shuka said: The gods may not be transgressed, O husband of Shachi. Understand this, lord of the gods: you are where they were.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Shuka, whose direct reply fills verses 21-26; the page has no heading before it (the page's भीष्म heading before verse 20 covers the narration of that verse). Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.5.20c (yatrābhavas tatra bhavas tan nibodha surādhipa).

Verse 22 (13.11.22)

अस्मिन्नहं द्रुमे जातः साधुभिश्च गुणैर्युते । बालभावेन सङ्गुप्तः शत्रुभिश्च न धर्षितः ॥

asminnahaṃ drume jātaḥ sādhubhiśca guṇairyute | bālabhāvena saṅguptaḥ śatrubhiśca na dharṣitaḥ

I was born in this tree, which was endowed with good qualities; in my childhood I was sheltered here, and no enemy harmed me.

Note on the text: Corrected चालभावेन → बालभावेन (misprint in Wikisource: च for ब, "movement-nature" being meaningless here; CE bālabhāve). Wikisource द्रुमे ... गुणैर्युते for the CE's "drume jātaḥ sādhubhiś ca guṇair yutaḥ" is kept.

Verse 23 (13.11.23)

किमनुक्रोश्यं वैफल्यमुत्पादयसि मेऽनघ । अनुरक्तस्य भक्तस्य संस्पृशेन्न च पावकम् । आनृशंस्याभियुक्तस्य भक्तस्यानन्यगस्य च ॥

kimanukrośyaṃ vaiphalyamutpādayasi me'nagha | anuraktasya bhaktasya saṃspṛśenna ca pāvakam | ānṛśaṃsyābhiyuktasya bhaktasyānanyagasya ca

Why, sinless one, do you, in pity, bring failure upon me? Fire should not touch one who is loving and devoted, one given to compassion, devoted, and turning to no other.

Note on the text: Three-line verse, as on the page (labelled 11-23a/b/c). Line 1 = CE 13.5.22a (kim anukrośavaiphalyam utpādayasi me 'nagha; Wikisource किमनुक्रोश्यं वैफल्यम्, a variant); line 2 is the CE star line 13.5.22b*0032_01 (anuraktasya bhaktasya saṃspṛśen na ca pāvakam); line 3 = CE 13.5.22c (ānṛśaṃsye 'nuraktasya bhaktasyānugatasya ca; Wikisource आनृशंस्याभियुक्तस्य ... भक्तस्यानन्यगस्य, a variant). Removed the stray backtick and quote mark Wikisource prints around line 2 and the doubled daṇḍa after it, and corrected संस्पृशे न च → संस्पृशेन्न च (misprint in Wikisource: the न् of संस्पृशेन् is dropped; CE saṃspṛśen na ca). The alignment found no match because of the extra line.

Verse 24 (13.11.24)

अनुक्रोशो हि साधूनां महद्धर्मस्य लक्षणम् । अनुक्रोशश्च साधूनां सदा प्रीतिं प्रयच्छति ॥

anukrośo hi sādhūnāṃ mahaddharmasya lakṣaṇam | anukrośaśca sādhūnāṃ sadā prītiṃ prayacchati

Compassion is the mark of the good and the sign of great dharma; and compassion always brings the good delight.

Verse 25 (13.11.25)

त्वमेव दैवतैः सर्वैः पृच्छ्यसे धर्मसंशयात् । अतस्त्वं देवदेवानामाधिपत्ये प्रतिष्ठितः ॥

tvameva daivataiḥ sarvaiḥ pṛcchyase dharmasaṃśayāt | atastvaṃ devadevānāmādhipatye pratiṣṭhitaḥ

You are the one whom all the gods consult in their doubts of dharma, and for that reason you are established in lordship over the gods.

Verse 26 (13.11.26)

नार्हसे मां सहस्राक्ष द्रुमं त्याजयितुं चिरात् । समस्थमुपजीवन्वै विषमस्थं कथं त्यजेत् ॥

nārhase māṃ sahasrākṣa drumaṃ tyājayituṃ cirāt | samasthamupajīvanvai viṣamasthaṃ kathaṃ tyajet

You ought not, thousand-eyed one, to make me abandon this tree after so long. Having lived off it while it stood well, how could one forsake it when it stands ill?

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.5.25a (nārhasi tvaṃ sahasrākṣa tyājayitveha bhaktitaḥ; cf. the CE star 13.5.25b*0033_01 tadbhaktitas tyājayituṃ na mām arhasi sattama); line 2 is the CE star line 13.5.25d*0034_01 (samastham upajīvan vai viṣamasthaṃ kathaṃ tyajet). The CE main-text line 13.5.25c is not on the page. The alignment found no match.

Verse 27 (13.11.27)

तस्य वाक्येन सौम्येन हर्षितः पाकशासनः । शुकं प्रोवाच धर्मज्ञमानृशंस्येन तोषितः ॥

tasya vākyena saumyena harṣitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ | śukaṃ provāca dharmajñamānṛśaṃsyena toṣitaḥ

Bhishma said: Delighted by his gentle words, and pleased by his compassion, Indra spoke to the parrot, who knew dharma.

Verse 28 (13.11.28)

वरं वृणीष्वेति तदा स च वव्रे वरं शुकः । आनृशंस्यपरो नित्यं तस्य वृक्षस्य सम्भवम् ॥

varaṃ vṛṇīṣveti tadā sa ca vavre varaṃ śukaḥ | ānṛśaṃsyaparo nityaṃ tasya vṛkṣasya sambhavam

'Choose a boon,' he said, and the parrot then chose his boon, ever intent on compassion: the revival of that tree.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.5.27a, line 2 = CE 13.5.27c; the CE star line 13.5.27b*0035_01 (punar jīvatv ayaṃ vṛkṣo yadi syān mayy anugrahaḥ) is not on the page.

Verse 29 (13.11.29)

विदित्वा च दृढां भक्तिं तां शुके शीलसम्पदम् । प्रीतः क्षिप्रमथो वृक्षममृतेनावसिक्तवान् ॥

viditvā ca dṛḍhāṃ bhaktiṃ tāṃ śuke śīlasampadam | prītaḥ kṣipramatho vṛkṣamamṛtenāvasiktavān

Having learned the parrot's firm devotion and his wealth of character, Indra was pleased and quickly sprinkled the tree with ambrosia.

Note on the text: Recension variant, kept: विदित्वा च दृढां भक्तिं तां शुके शीलसम्पदम् for CE viditvā ca dṛḍhāṃ śakras tāṃ śuke śīlasaṃpadam (13.5.28a); the subject Indra is understood.

Verse 30 (13.11.30)

ततः फलानि पत्राणि शाखाश्चापि मनोहराः । शुकस्य दृढभक्तित्वाच्छ्रीमत्तां प्राप स द्रुमः ॥

tataḥ phalāni patrāṇi śākhāścāpi manoharāḥ | śukasya dṛḍhabhaktitvācchrīmattāṃ prāpa sa drumaḥ

Then fruits and leaves and charming branches came, and through the parrot's firm devotion the tree gained splendour.

Verse 31 (13.11.31)

शुकश्च कर्मणा तेन आनृशंस्यकृतेन वै । आयुषोऽन्ते महाराज प्राप शक्रसलोकताम् ॥

śukaśca karmaṇā tena ānṛśaṃsyakṛtena vai | āyuṣo'nte mahārāja prāpa śakrasalokatām

And the parrot, by that deed born of compassion, at the end of his life, O great king, attained the world of Shakra.

Note on the text: Corrected आयुषोन्ते → आयुषोऽन्ते (misprint in Wikisource: the avagraha is dropped; CE āyuṣo 'nte).

Verse 32 (13.11.32)

एवमेव मनुष्येन्द्र भक्तिमन्तं समाश्रितः । सर्वार्थसिद्धिं लभते शुकं प्राप्य यथा द्रुमः ॥

evameva manuṣyendra bhaktimantaṃ samāśritaḥ | sarvārthasiddhiṃ labhate śukaṃ prāpya yathā drumaḥ

Even so, O lord of men, one who relies on a devoted man gains success in every aim, as the tree did by reaching the parrot.

Note on the text: Speaker: Bhishma, drawing the moral for Yudhishthira (O lord of men).