The Jackal and the Monkey: the Promise Made to a Brahmin

Verse 1 (13.30.1)

ब्राह्मणानां तु ये लोके प्रतिश्रुत्य पितामह । न प्रयच्छन्ति लोभात्ते के भवन्ति महामते ॥

brāhmaṇānāṃ tu ye loke pratiśrutya pitāmaha | na prayacchanti lobhātte ke bhavanti mahāmate

Grandsire, O wise one, what becomes of those in the world who promise something to brahmins and then, out of greed, do not give it?

Note on the text: Line 2 reads लोभात् where the CE has मोहात् (mohāt); recension variant, kept.

Verse 2 (13.30.2)

एतन्मे तत्वतो ब्रूहि धर्मे धर्मभृतांवर । प्रतिश्रुत्य दुरात्मानो न प्रयच्छन्ति ये नराः ॥

etanme tatvato brūhi dharme dharmabhṛtāṃvara | pratiśrutya durātmāno na prayacchanti ye narāḥ

Tell me this truly, O best of the upholders of dharma, as a matter of dharma: what befalls those wicked men who promise and then do not give?

Verse 3 (13.30.3)

यो न दद्यात्प्रतिश्रुत्य स्वल्पं वा यदि वा बहु । आशास्तस्य हताः सर्वाः क्लीबस्येव प्रजाफलम् ॥

yo na dadyātpratiśrutya svalpaṃ vā yadi vā bahu | āśāstasya hatāḥ sarvāḥ klībasyeva prajāphalam

The man who promises, be it little or much, and does not give — all his hopes are destroyed, like the hope of the fruit of children in a eunuch.

Verse 4 (13.30.4)

यां रात्रिं जायते पापो यां च रात्रिं विनश्यति । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे यद्यत्सुकृतं तस्य भारत ॥

yāṃ rātriṃ jāyate pāpo yāṃ ca rātriṃ vinaśyati | etasminnantare yadyatsukṛtaṃ tasya bhārata

From the night in which a sinful man is born to the night in which he dies, whatever merit he has earned in between, O Bharata,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 13.9.4a and 13.9.4c; the alignment found no match because the CE divides the verses differently.

Verse 5 (13.30.5)

यच्च तस्य हुतं किञ्चिद्दत्तं वा भरतर्षभ । तपस्तप्तमथो वाऽपि सर्वं तस्योपहन्यते ॥

yacca tasya hutaṃ kiñciddattaṃ vā bharatarṣabha | tapastaptamatho vā'pi sarvaṃ tasyopahanyate

and whatever he has offered in the fire or given away, O best of the Bharatas, or whatever austerity he has practised — all of it is destroyed for him.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.9.4e; line 2 = CE star passage *0047_01-02 (printed after 13.9.4e: "dattaṃ vā bharatarṣabha" / "tapas taptam atho vāpi"), here worded differently (recension variant).

Verse 6 (13.30.6)

अथैतद्वचनं प्राहुर्धर्मशास्त्रविदो जनाः । निशाम्य भरतश्रेष्ठ बुद्ध्या परमयुक्तया ॥

athaitadvacanaṃ prāhurdharmaśāstravido janāḥ | niśāmya bharataśreṣṭha buddhyā paramayuktayā

The knowers of the dharma-shastras say these words, O best of the Bharatas, having reflected on them with the soundest reasoning.

Note on the text: Corrected निशास्य → निशाम्य (misprint in Wikisource; the page's own gloss at 13-30-6 reads निशाम्य; CE niśamya). Line 1 reads अथैतद् where the CE has atraitad (recension variant, kept).

Verse 7 (13.30.7)

अपि चोदाहरन्तीमं धर्मशास्त्रविदो जनाः । अश्वानां श्यामकर्णानां सहस्रेण स मुच्यते ॥

api codāharantīmaṃ dharmaśāstravido janāḥ | aśvānāṃ śyāmakarṇānāṃ sahasreṇa sa mucyate

The knowers of the dharma-shastras also cite this saying: by a thousand dark-eared horses he is released.

Verse 8 (13.30.8)

अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । सृगालस्य च संवादं वानरस्य च भारत ॥

atraivodāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | sṛgālasya ca saṃvādaṃ vānarasya ca bhārata

On this they relate an ancient tale, O Bharata: the conversation of a jackal and a monkey.

Verse 9 (13.30.9)

तौ सखायौ पुरा ह्यास्तां मानुषत्वे परंतप । अन्यां योनिं समापन्नौ सृगालीं वानरीं तथा । सम्भाषणात्ततः सख्यं तत्रतत्र परस्परम् ॥

tau sakhāyau purā hyāstāṃ mānuṣatve paraṃtapa | anyāṃ yoniṃ samāpannau sṛgālīṃ vānarīṃ tathā | sambhāṣaṇāttataḥ sakhyaṃ tatratatra parasparam

In a former human birth the two had been friends, O scourge of foes. Having entered other wombs, one as a jackal and the other as a monkey, they kept up their friendship by talking together, now here, now there.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 = CE 13.9.8a, 13.9.8c; line 3 is a variant of CE star passage *0048_01 ("saṃbhāṣamāṇau tu tataḥ sakhyaṃ tatra parasparam"), printed after 13.9.8d. Three-line verse (13-30-9a/b/c). Line 2 reads सृगालीं where the CE has sārgālīṃ (variant, kept).

Verse 10 (13.30.10)

ततः परासून्खादन्तं सृगालं वानरोऽब्रवीत् । श्मशानमध्ये सम्प्रेक्ष्य पूर्वजातिमनुस्मरन् ॥

tataḥ parāsūnkhādantaṃ sṛgālaṃ vānaro'bravīt | śmaśānamadhye samprekṣya pūrvajātimanusmaran

Then, seeing the jackal eating corpses in the middle of the cremation ground, and remembering his former birth, the monkey said to him:

Verse 11 (13.30.11)

किं त्वया पापकं पूर्वं कृतं कर्म सुदारुणम् । यस्त्वं श्मशाने मृतकान्पूतिकानत्सि कुत्सितान् ॥

kiṃ tvayā pāpakaṃ pūrvaṃ kṛtaṃ karma sudāruṇam | yastvaṃ śmaśāne mṛtakānpūtikānatsi kutsitān

"What dreadful sinful deed did you do before, that you eat putrid, loathsome dead bodies in the burial ground?"

Note on the text: Monkey's question fills the verse; no heading on the page, given to the monkey.

Verse 12 (13.30.12)

एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच सृगालो वानरं तदा । ब्राह्मणस्य प्रतिश्रुत्य न मया तदुपाहृतम् ॥

evamuktaḥ pratyuvāca sṛgālo vānaraṃ tadā | brāhmaṇasya pratiśrutya na mayā tadupāhṛtam

Thus addressed, the jackal answered the monkey: "I had promised a brahmin, and I did not bring him what I had promised.

Verse 13 (13.30.13)

तत्कृते पापिकां योनिमापन्नोस्मि प्लवङ्गम । तस्मादेवंविधं भक्ष्यं भक्षयामि बुभुक्षितः ॥

tatkṛte pāpikāṃ yonimāpannosmi plavaṅgama | tasmādevaṃvidhaṃ bhakṣyaṃ bhakṣayāmi bubhukṣitaḥ

Because of that I have fallen into this sinful birth, O monkey; and so, hungry, I eat such food."

Note on the text: Jackal's speech fills the verse; no heading on the page, given to the jackal.

Verse 14 (13.30.14)

सृगालो वानरं प्राह पुनरेव नरोत्तम । किं त्वया पातकं कर्म कृतं येनासि वानरः ॥

sṛgālo vānaraṃ prāha punareva narottama | kiṃ tvayā pātakaṃ karma kṛtaṃ yenāsi vānaraḥ

The jackal then said to the monkey in turn, O best of men: "What sinful deed did you do, that you have become a monkey?"

Note on the text: Not in the CE's constituted text: star passage *0050_01-02 (printed after 13.9.12d, headed there "भीष्म उवाच"). The CE's preceding star passage *0049 (monkey and jackal exchange about the monkey's birth) is not in Wikisource and is not added.

Verse 15 (13.30.15)

स चाप्याह फलाहारो ब्राह्मणानां प्लवङ्गमः । तस्मान्न ब्राह्मणस्वं तु हर्त्तव्यं विदुषा सदा । सीमाविवादे मोक्तव्यं दातव्यं च प्रतिश्रुतम् ॥

sa cāpyāha phalāhāro brāhmaṇānāṃ plavaṅgamaḥ | tasmānna brāhmaṇasvaṃ tu harttavyaṃ viduṣā sadā | sīmāvivāde moktavyaṃ dātavyaṃ ca pratiśrutam

The monkey, who lived on fruit belonging to brahmins, answered too: "Therefore a wise man should never take a brahmin's property. In a boundary dispute he should give way, and what he has promised he should give."

Note on the text: Not in the CE's constituted text: star passage *0051_01-03 (printed after 13.9.12d). Three-line verse (13-30-15a/b/c). Page heading is "वानर उवाच" (13-30-15x), kept; in the CE the lines carry no new heading, so they continue Bhishma's narration.

Verse 16 (13.30.16)

इत्येतद्ब्रुवतो राजन्ब्राह्मणस्य मया श्रुतम् । कथां कथयतः पुण्यां धर्मज्ञस्य पुरातनीम् ॥

ityetadbruvato rājanbrāhmaṇasya mayā śrutam | kathāṃ kathayataḥ puṇyāṃ dharmajñasya purātanīm

This I heard, O king, from a brahmin who knew dharma, as he told this sacred ancient tale.

Verse 17 (13.30.17)

श्रुतं चापि मया भूयः कृष्णस्यापि विशांपते । कथां कथयतः पूर्वं ब्राह्मणं प्रति पाण्डव ॥

śrutaṃ cāpi mayā bhūyaḥ kṛṣṇasyāpi viśāṃpate | kathāṃ kathayataḥ pūrvaṃ brāhmaṇaṃ prati pāṇḍava

I have heard it too from Krishna, O lord of men, as he told the story long ago to a brahmin, O Pandava.

Verse 18 (13.30.18)

न हर्तव्यं विप्रधनं क्षन्तव्यं तेषु नित्यशः । बालाश्च नावमन्तव्या दरिद्राः कृपणा अपि ॥

na hartavyaṃ vipradhanaṃ kṣantavyaṃ teṣu nityaśaḥ | bālāśca nāvamantavyā daridrāḥ kṛpaṇā api

A brahmin's wealth must not be taken; one must always forbear with them. Children must not be slighted, nor the poor, nor the wretched.

Note on the text: Not in the CE's constituted text: star passage *0052_01-02 (printed after 13.9.14d).

Verse 19 (13.30.19)

एवमेव च मां नित्यं ब्राह्मणाः संदिशन्ति वै । प्रतिश्रुतं भवेद्देयं नाशा कार्या द्विजोत्तमे ॥

evameva ca māṃ nityaṃ brāhmaṇāḥ saṃdiśanti vai | pratiśrutaṃ bhaveddeyaṃ nāśā kāryā dvijottame

Brahmins always instruct me in just this way: what has been promised must be given, and the hope of the best of the twice-born must not be made vain.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads प्रतिश्रुतं भवेद्देयं नाशा कार्या द्विजोत्तमे where CE 13.9.15c has pratiśrutya bhaved deyaṃ nāśā kāryā hi brāhmaṇaiḥ (recension variant, kept). The page's gloss at 13-30-19 explains आशा as वन्ध्याशा (a hope made vain).

Verse 20 (13.30.20)

ब्राह्मणो ह्याशया पूर्वं कृतया पृथिवीपते । सुसमिद्धो यथा दीप्तः पावकस्तद्विधः स्मृतः ॥

brāhmaṇo hyāśayā pūrvaṃ kṛtayā pṛthivīpate | susamiddho yathā dīptaḥ pāvakastadvidhaḥ smṛtaḥ

For a brahmin in whom hope has been raised beforehand, O lord of the earth, is held to be like a well-kindled, blazing fire.

Note on the text: Corrected यता → यथा (misprint in Wikisource; CE yathā).

Verse 21 (13.30.21)

यं निरीक्षेत सङ्क्रुद्ध आशया पूर्वजातया । प्रदहेच्च हितं राजन्कक्षमक्षय्यभुग्यथा ॥

yaṃ nirīkṣeta saṅkruddha āśayā pūrvajātayā | pradahecca hitaṃ rājankakṣamakṣayyabhugyathā

Whomever he looks upon in anger, because of a hope raised earlier, he would burn up that man's welfare, O king, as a fire burns dry grass.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads प्रदहेच्च हितं where the CE has pradaheta hi taṃ; the Wikisource reading is a plausible variant and is kept, translated as "burn up his welfare". Possibly a misprint for प्रदहेत हि तं, flagged only.

Verse 22 (13.30.22)

स एव हि यदा तुष्टो वचसा प्रतिनन्दति । भवत्यगदसंकाशो विषये तस्य भारत ॥

sa eva hi yadā tuṣṭo vacasā pratinandati | bhavatyagadasaṃkāśo viṣaye tasya bhārata

And when that same brahmin is pleased and greets him with kind words, O Bharata, he becomes like a healing medicine in that man's realm.

Verse 23 (13.30.23)

पुत्रान्पौत्रान्पशूंश्चैव बान्धवान्सचिवांस्तथा । पुरं जनपदं चैव शान्तिरिष्टेन पोषयेत् ॥

putrānpautrānpaśūṃścaiva bāndhavānsacivāṃstathā | puraṃ janapadaṃ caiva śāntiriṣṭena poṣayet

Sons, grandsons, cattle, kinsmen and counsellors, the city and the countryside too — he nourishes them all with peace and well-being.

Note on the text: Line 2 reads शान्तिरिष्टेन पोषयेत् where the CE has śāntir iṣṭeva puṣyati (recension variant, kept; the page's gloss at 13-30-23: शान्तिरिष्टेन = शान्त्याहितेन क्षेमेण).

Verse 24 (13.30.24)

एतद्धि परमं तेजो ब्राह्मणस्येह दृश्यते । सहस्रकिरणस्येव सवितुर्धरणीतले ॥

etaddhi paramaṃ tejo brāhmaṇasyeha dṛśyate | sahasrakiraṇasyeva saviturdharaṇītale

This is the supreme radiance seen in a brahmin here, like that of the thousand-rayed sun upon the surface of the earth.

Verse 25 (13.30.25)

तस्माद्दातव्यमेवेह प्रतिश्रुत्य युधिष्ठिर । यदीच्छेच्छोभनां जातिं प्राप्तुं भरतसत्तम ॥

tasmāddātavyameveha pratiśrutya yudhiṣṭhira | yadīcchecchobhanāṃ jātiṃ prāptuṃ bharatasattama

Therefore, Yudhishthira, O best of the Bharatas, what has been promised must certainly be given here, if one wishes to obtain a good birth.

Verse 26 (13.30.26)

ब्राह्मणस्य हि दत्तेन ध्रुवं स्वर्गो ह्यनुत्तमः । शक्यः प्राप्तुं विशेषेण दानं हि महती क्रिया ॥

brāhmaṇasya hi dattena dhruvaṃ svargo hyanuttamaḥ | śakyaḥ prāptuṃ viśeṣeṇa dānaṃ hi mahatī kriyā

By what is given to a brahmin one can surely win the highest heaven, above all; for giving is a great act.

Verse 27 (13.30.27)

इतो दत्तेन जीवन्ति देवताः पितरस्तथा । तस्माद्दानानि देयानि ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विजानता ॥

ito dattena jīvanti devatāḥ pitarastathā | tasmāddānāni deyāni brāhmaṇebhyo vijānatā

By what is given from here the gods and the ancestors live; therefore a man of understanding should give gifts to brahmins.

Note on the text: Corrected पितरस्था → पितरस्तथा (misprint in Wikisource; CE pitaras tathā).

Verse 28 (13.30.28)

महद्धि भरतश्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणस्तीर्थमुच्यते । वेलायां न तु कस्यां चिद्गच्छेद्विप्रो ह्यपूजितः ॥

mahaddhi bharataśreṣṭha brāhmaṇastīrthamucyate | velāyāṃ na tu kasyāṃ cidgacchedvipro hyapūjitaḥ

A brahmin, O best of the Bharatas, is called a great holy ford; at no time should a brahmin go away unhonoured.