The Dove Offers Himself to the Fowler

Verse 1 (12.145.1)

स पत्न्या वचनं श्रुत्वा धर्मयुक्तिसमन्वितम् । हर्षेण महता युक्तो वाक्यं व्याकुललोचनः ॥

sa patnyā vacanaṃ śrutvā dharmayuktisamanvitam | harṣeṇa mahatā yukto vākyaṃ vyākulalocanaḥ

Hearing his wife's words, so full of dharma and reason, he was filled with great joy at her speech, his eyes brimming.

Note on the text: Corrected सपत्न्या → स पत्न्या (misprint in Wikisource; the words run together as सपत्न्या, "co-wife", which gives the wrong sense; CE 12.142.21 sa patnyā). WS वाक्यं व्याकुललोचनः differs from CE bāṣpavyākulalocanaḥ (recension variant, kept).

Verse 2 (12.145.2)

तं वै शाकुनिकं दृष्ट्वा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा । स पक्षी पूजयामास यत्नात्तं पक्षिजीविनम् ॥

taṃ vai śākunikaṃ dṛṣṭvā vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā | sa pakṣī pūjayāmāsa yatnāttaṃ pakṣijīvinam

Seeing that fowler, the bird honoured him with care, that bird-killer, according to the prescribed rite.

Verse 3 (12.145.3)

उवाच स्वागतं तेऽद्य ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते । संतापश्च न कर्तव्यः स्वगृहे वर्तते भवान् ॥

uvāca svāgataṃ te'dya brūhi kiṃ karavāṇi te | saṃtāpaśca na kartavyaḥ svagṛhe vartate bhavān

He said, “Welcome to you today. Tell me what I can do for you. You must not be distressed; you are in your own home.”

Note on the text: Corrected सतांपश्च → संतापश्च (misprint in Wikisource; garbled, giving a non-word; CE 12.142.23 saṃtāpaś ca, and the page's apparatus records the variant संकोचश्च). The verse mixes narration with direct speech and stays with the narrator.

Verse 4 (12.145.4)

तद्ब्रवीतु भवान्क्षिप्रं किं करोमि किमिच्छसि । प्रणयेन ब्रवीमि त्वां त्वं हि नः शरणागतः ॥

tadbravītu bhavānkṣipraṃ kiṃ karomi kimicchasi | praṇayena bravīmi tvāṃ tvaṃ hi naḥ śaraṇāgataḥ

“Tell me quickly, sir, what I am to do, what you wish. I speak to you out of affection, for you have come to us for refuge.”

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 5 (12.145.5)

अरावप्युचितं कार्यमातिथ्यं गृहमागते । छेत्तुमप्यागते छायां नोपसंहरते द्रुमः ॥

arāvapyucitaṃ kāryamātithyaṃ gṛhamāgate | chettumapyāgate chāyāṃ nopasaṃharate drumaḥ

“Even to an enemy, hospitality is due when he comes to one's house: the tree does not withdraw its shade even from the man who comes to cut it down.”

Note on the text: The input found no critical-edition match. Not in the critical edition proper (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has it only as star passage 12.142.24d*0374_01–02 (following 12.142.24). Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 6 (12.145.6)

शरणागतस्य कर्तव्यमातिथ्यं हि प्रयत्नतः । पञ्चयज्ञप्रवृत्तेन गृहस्थेन विशेषतः ॥

śaraṇāgatasya kartavyamātithyaṃ hi prayatnataḥ | pañcayajñapravṛttena gṛhasthena viśeṣataḥ

“Hospitality is a duty owed with all effort to one who has come for refuge, above all by a householder engaged in the five great sacrifices.”

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 7 (12.145.7)

पञ्चयज्ञांस्तु यो मोहान्न करोति गृहाश्रमी । तस्य नायं न च परो लोको भवति धर्मतः ॥

pañcayajñāṃstu yo mohānna karoti gṛhāśramī | tasya nāyaṃ na ca paro loko bhavati dharmataḥ

“A householder who, out of folly, does not perform the five sacrifices has by dharma neither this world nor the next.”

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 8 (12.145.8)

तद्ब्रूहि मां सुविस्रब्धो यत्त्वं वाचा वदिष्यसि । तत्करिष्याम्यहं सर्वं मा त्वं शोके मनः कृथाः ॥

tadbrūhi māṃ suvisrabdho yattvaṃ vācā vadiṣyasi | tatkariṣyāmyahaṃ sarvaṃ mā tvaṃ śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ

“So tell me, in full trust, whatever you wish to say; I shall do it all. Do not set your mind on sorrow.”

Note on the text: WS reads तद्ब्रूहि मां सुविस्रब्धो where the CE has tad brūhi tvaṃ suvisrabdho (recension variant, kept as printed). Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 9 (12.145.9)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा शकुनेर्लुब्धकोऽब्रवीत् । बाधते खलु मां शीतं संत्राणं हि विधीयताम् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā śakunerlubdhako'bravīt | bādhate khalu māṃ śītaṃ saṃtrāṇaṃ hi vidhīyatām

Hearing his words, the fowler said to the bird, “The cold troubles me; let some protection be made for it.”

Note on the text: The verse mixes narration with direct speech and stays with the narrator.

Verse 10 (12.145.10)

एवमुक्तस्ततः पक्षी पर्णान्यास्तीर्य भूतले । यथा शुष्काणि यत्नेन ज्वलनार्थं द्रुतं ययौ ॥

evamuktastataḥ pakṣī parṇānyāstīrya bhūtale | yathā śuṣkāṇi yatnena jvalanārthaṃ drutaṃ yayau

Told so, the bird spread leaves on the ground, the driest he could with care, and hurried off to fetch fire.

Note on the text: Corrected एवमुक्तस्तनः → एवमुक्तस्ततः (misprint in Wikisource; तनः is a non-word, ततः intended; CE 12.142.29 evam uktas tataḥ).

Verse 11 (12.145.11)

स गत्वाऽङ्गारकर्मान्तं गृहीत्वाऽग्निमथागमत् । तथा शुष्केषु पर्णेषु पावकं सोऽप्यदीपयत् ॥

sa gatvā'ṅgārakarmāntaṃ gṛhītvā'gnimathāgamat | tathā śuṣkeṣu parṇeṣu pāvakaṃ so'pyadīpayat

Going to the charcoal-burners' works he took fire and came back; and he set the dry leaves alight.

Note on the text: Restored स गत्वाऽङ्गारकर्मान्तं from the critical edition (12.142.30a sa gatvāṅgārakarmāntaṃ): Wikisource prints the first words as स---वाऽङ्गारकर्मान्तं, with the syllables lost. Line 2 (तथा शुष्केषु पर्णेषु पावकं सोऽप्यदीपयत्) is Wikisource's own reading (CE 12.142.30c tataḥ śuṣkeṣu parṇeṣu pāvakaṃ so 'bhyadīdipat).

Verse 12 (12.145.12)

सुसंदीप्तं महत्कृत्वा तमाह शरणागतम् । प्रतापय सुविस्रब्धः स्वगात्राण्यकुतोभयः ॥

susaṃdīptaṃ mahatkṛtvā tamāha śaraṇāgatam | pratāpaya suvisrabdhaḥ svagātrāṇyakutobhayaḥ

Having made it blaze up, he said to the one who had come for refuge, “Warm yourself in full trust, and have no fear for your limbs.”

Note on the text: Restored सुसंदीप्तं (line 1) and प्रतापय (line 2) from the critical edition (12.142.31 susaṃdīptaṃ mahat kṛtvā tam āha śaraṇāgatam / pratāpaya suvisrabdhaṃ svagātrāṇy akutobhayaḥ): Wikisource prints स--प्तं and ----- with the syllables lost. WS reads सुविस्रब्धः (nominative) where the CE has suvisrabdhaṃ; kept as printed. The verse mixes narration with direct speech and stays with the narrator.

Verse 13 (12.145.13)

स तथोक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा लुब्धो गात्राण्यतापयत् । अग्निप्रत्यागतप्राणस्ततः प्राह विहंगमम् ॥

sa tathoktastathetyuktvā lubdho gātrāṇyatāpayat | agnipratyāgataprāṇastataḥ prāha vihaṃgamam

Told so, the fowler said “So be it” and warmed his limbs; his life restored by the fire, he then spoke to the bird.

Note on the text: Restored the opening स (स तथोक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा) from the critical edition (12.142.32a): Wikisource prints -- in its place.

Verse 14 (12.145.14)

हर्षेण महताऽऽविष्टो वाक्यं व्याकुललोचनः । तथेमं शकुनिं दृष्ट्वा विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

harṣeṇa mahatā''viṣṭo vākyaṃ vyākulalocanaḥ | tathemaṃ śakuniṃ dṛṣṭvā vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

Filled with great joy, his eyes brimming, and seeing the bird who had served him so by the prescribed rite, he spoke:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition proper (found in the vulgate recension); the CE has it only as star passage 12.142.32d*0375_01–02 (following 12.142.32).

Verse 15 (12.145.15)

दत्तमाहारमिच्छामि त्वया क्षुद्बाधते हि माम् । स तद्वचः प्रतिश्रुत्य वाक्यमाह विहंगमः ॥

dattamāhāramicchāmi tvayā kṣudbādhate hi mām | sa tadvacaḥ pratiśrutya vākyamāha vihaṃgamaḥ

“Give me food; I want it, for hunger torments me.” The bird, having agreed to this request, replied.

Note on the text: The verse mixes direct speech with narration and stays with the narrator.

Verse 16 (12.145.16)

न मेऽस्ति विभवो येन नाशयेयं क्षुधां तव । उत्पन्नेन हि जीवामो वयं नित्यं वनौकसः ॥

na me'sti vibhavo yena nāśayeyaṃ kṣudhāṃ tava | utpannena hi jīvāmo vayaṃ nityaṃ vanaukasaḥ

“I have no store with which I could end your hunger. We forest-dwellers live always on whatever comes to us.”

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 12.142.34a (na me 'sti vibhavo yena nāśayāmi tava kṣudhām), a recension variant (नाशयेयं) kept as printed. Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 17 (12.145.17)

संचयो नास्ति चास्माकं मुनीनामिव कानने । इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा तत्र विवर्णवदनोऽभवत् ॥

saṃcayo nāsti cāsmākaṃ munīnāmiva kānane | ityuktvā taṃ tadā tatra vivarṇavadano'bhavat

“And we keep no hoard, like sages in the forest.” Having said this, he turned pale in the face.

Note on the text: The verse mixes direct speech with narration and stays with the narrator.

Verse 18 (12.145.18)

कथं नु खलु कर्तव्यमिति चिन्तापरस्तदा । बभूव भरतश्रेष्ठ गर्हयन्वृत्तिमात्मनः ॥

kathaṃ nu khalu kartavyamiti cintāparastadā | babhūva bharataśreṣṭha garhayanvṛttimātmanaḥ

“What on earth am I to do?” — so, lost in thought, he reproached his own way of living, O best of the Bharatas.

Verse 19 (12.145.19)

मुहूर्ताल्लब्धसंज्ञस्तु स पक्षी पक्षिघातिनम् । उवाच तर्पयिष्ये त्वां मुहूर्तं प्रतिपालय ॥

muhūrtāllabdhasaṃjñastu sa pakṣī pakṣighātinam | uvāca tarpayiṣye tvāṃ muhūrtaṃ pratipālaya

After a moment, regaining his composure, the bird said to the bird-slayer, “I shall satisfy you; wait a moment.”

Verse 20 (12.145.20)

इत्युक्त्वा शुष्कपर्णैस्तु समुज्ज्वाल्य हुताशनम् । हर्षेण महताऽऽविष्टः कपोतः पुनरब्रबीत् ॥

ityuktvā śuṣkaparṇaistu samujjvālya hutāśanam | harṣeṇa mahatā''viṣṭaḥ kapotaḥ punarabrabīt

So saying, he kindled a fire with dry leaves, and the dove, filled with great joy, spoke again.

Note on the text: WS reads हर्षेण महताऽऽविष्टः where the CE has harṣeṇa mahatā yuktaḥ (recension variant, kept).

Verse 21 (12.145.21)

ऋषीणां देवतानां च पितृणां च महात्मनाम् । श्रुतः पूर्वं मया धर्मो महानतिथिपूजने ॥

ṛṣīṇāṃ devatānāṃ ca pitṛṇāṃ ca mahātmanām | śrutaḥ pūrvaṃ mayā dharmo mahānatithipūjane

“I have heard before, from the seers, the gods and the great-souled ancestors, of the great dharma of honouring a guest.”

Note on the text: Corrected युतः → श्रुतः (misprint in Wikisource; यु for श्रु gives a word that makes no sense here; CE 12.142.39 śrutapūrvo). WS ऋषीणां देवतानां च … differs from the CE's devānāṃ ca munīnāṃ ca … (recension variant, kept). Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 22 (12.145.22)

कुरुष्वानुग्रहं सौम्य सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते । निश्चिता खलु मे बुद्धिरतिथिप्रतिपूजने ॥

kuruṣvānugrahaṃ saumya satyametadbravīmi te | niścitā khalu me buddhiratithipratipūjane

“Show me this favour, gentle one — I tell you truly: my mind is made up about honouring a guest.”

Note on the text: Corrected ब्रबीमि → ब्रवीमि (misprint in Wikisource; ब for व; CE 12.142.40 bravīmi). Line 1 differs from the CE (kuruṣvānugrahaṃ me 'dya …), a recension variant kept as printed. Speaker supplied: the dove's own speech, with no printed heading (the page's only heading here is Bhishma's).

Verse 23 (12.145.23)

ततः कृतप्रतिज्ञो वै स पक्षी प्रहसन्निव । तमग्निं त्रिः परिक्रम्य प्रविवेश महामतिः ॥

tataḥ kṛtapratijño vai sa pakṣī prahasanniva | tamagniṃ triḥ parikramya praviveśa mahāmatiḥ

Then, true to his vow, the wise bird, smiling as it were, walked three times around the fire and entered it.

Verse 24 (12.145.24)

अग्निमध्ये प्रविष्टं तु लुब्धो दृष्ट्वा च पक्षिणम् । चिन्तयामास मनसा किमिदं वै मया कृतम् ॥

agnimadhye praviṣṭaṃ tu lubdho dṛṣṭvā ca pakṣiṇam | cintayāmāsa manasā kimidaṃ vai mayā kṛtam

Seeing the bird gone into the middle of the fire, the fowler thought in his mind, “What is this that I have done?”

Verse 25 (12.145.25)

अहो मम नृशंसस्य गर्हितस्य स्वकर्मणा । अधर्मः सुमहान्घोरो भविष्यति न संशयः ॥

aho mama nṛśaṃsasya garhitasya svakarmaṇā | adharmaḥ sumahānghoro bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

“Alas, for me, cruel and blamed for my own deeds, a vast and dreadful sin will surely follow.”

Note on the text: Corrected सुमहान्धोरो → सुमहान्घोरो (misprint in Wikisource; ध for घ; CE 12.142.43 sumahān ghoro). The fowler's thought is unspoken and stays with the narrator.

Verse 26 (12.145.26)

एवं बहुविधं भूरि विललाप स लुब्धकः । गर्हयन्स्वानि कर्माणि द्विजं दृष्ट्वा तथाऽऽगतम् ॥

evaṃ bahuvidhaṃ bhūri vilalāpa sa lubdhakaḥ | garhayansvāni karmāṇi dvijaṃ dṛṣṭvā tathā''gatam

So the fowler lamented at great length, reproaching his own deeds, seeing the bird come to such an end.