The Dialogue Between the Cow and the Tiger

Verse 1 (skanda.6.50.1)

एवं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य व्याघ्ररूपस्य कानने॥ जगाम सुमहान्कालो निघ्नतो विविधान्द्विज

evaṁ tasya narendrasya vyāghrarūpasya kānane jagāma sumahānkālo nighnato vividhāndvija

O brahmin, thus a very long time passed for that king, now in the form of a tiger, in the forest, as he went about slaying various creatures.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.50.2)

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य तस्मिन्देशे द्विजोत्तमाः॥ आ यातं गोकुलं रम्यं गोपगोपीसमाकुलम्

kasyacittvatha kālasya tasmindeśe dvijottamāḥ ā yātaṁ gokulaṁ ramyaṁ gopagopīsamākulam

O best of brahmins, then at one time, in that region, there came to be a lovely cow-settlement, thronged with cowherds and cowherdesses.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.50.3)

तत्रास्ति नन्दिनीनाम धेनुः पीनपयोधरा॥ विस्तीर्णजघनाभोगा हंसवर्णा घटस्रवा

tatrāsti nandinīnāma dhenuḥ pīnapayodharā vistīrṇajaghanābhogā haṁsavarṇā ghaṭasravā

There was a cow there named Nandini, her udders full and heavy with milk, broad of flank, white as a swan, her milk flowing forth as if from an overflowing jar.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.50.4)

अथ सा निजयूथस्य सदाग्रे तृणवांछया॥ भ्रममाणा निकुञ्जांते लिंगं देवस्य शूलिनः

atha sā nijayūthasya sadāgre tṛṇavāṁchayā bhramamāṇā nikuñjāṁte liṁgaṁ devasya śūlinaḥ

She, always wandering ahead of her herd in search of grass, one day, at the edge of a thicket,

Verse 5 (skanda.6.50.5)

अपश्यत्तेजसा युक्तं स्वयमेव व्यवस्थितम्॥ द्वादशार्कप्रतीकाशं चित्ताह्लादकरं परम्

apaśyattejasā yuktaṁ svayameva vyavasthitam dvādaśārkapratīkāśaṁ cittāhlādakaraṁ param

-- saw the Linga of the trident-bearing god, self-manifest, radiant with splendor, shining like twelve suns, supremely delightful to behold.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.50.6)

ततस्तस्योपरि स्थित्वा सुस्राव सुमहत्पयः॥ श्रद्धया परया युक्ता तस्य स्नानकृते द्विजाः

tatastasyopari sthitvā susrāva sumahatpayaḥ śraddhayā parayā yuktā tasya snānakṛte dvijāḥ

O brahmins, then, filled with the deepest faith, she stood over it and let flow a great abundance of her milk, to bathe it.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.50.7)

एवं तां स्नपनं तस्य सदा लिंगस्य कुर्वतीम्॥ न जानाति जनः कश्चिद्वने वृक्षसमाकुले

evaṁ tāṁ snapanaṁ tasya sadā liṁgasya kurvatīm na jānāti janaḥ kaścidvane vṛkṣasamākule

Thus, though she always bathed that Linga in this way, no one at all knew of it, there in that forest thick with trees.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.50.8)

अन्यस्मिन्दिवसे तत्र स्थाने व्याघ्रः समागतः॥ तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो महाकायः सर्वजन्तुभयावहः

anyasmindivase tatra sthāne vyāghraḥ samāgataḥ tīkṣṇadaṁṣṭro mahākāyaḥ sarvajantubhayāvahaḥ

Then, on another day, a tiger came to that place -- sharp-fanged, massive of body, a terror to every creature.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.50.9)

अथ सा तत्र आयाता पतिता दृष्टिगोचरे॥ नन्दिनी द्वीपिनस्तस्य दैवयोगाद्द्विजोत्तमाः

atha sā tatra āyātā patitā dṛṣṭigocare nandinī dvīpinastasya daivayogāddvijottamāḥ

O best of brahmins, then, coming there, Nandini, by a stroke of fate, fell within that tiger's sight.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.50.10)

ततः सा गोकुले बद्धं स्मृत्वा स्वं लघुवत्सकम्॥ अतृणादं पयोवृत्तिं करुणं पर्यदेवयत्

tataḥ sā gokule baddhaṁ smṛtvā svaṁ laghuvatsakam atṛṇādaṁ payovṛttiṁ karuṇaṁ paryadevayat

Then, remembering her own little calf, tied up in the cow-settlement, still living on milk alone and not yet eating grass, she began to lament most piteously.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.50.11)

अद्यैकाहं च संप्राप्ता कानने जनवर्जिते॥ पुत्रं बालं परित्यज्य गोपैर्गोष्ठे नियंत्रितम्

adyaikāhaṁ ca saṁprāptā kānane janavarjite putraṁ bālaṁ parityajya gopairgoṣṭhe niyaṁtritam

"Today I have come alone into this deserted forest, having left behind my infant son, whom the cowherds have tied up in the cow-pen."

Verse 12 (skanda.6.50.12)

येन सत्येन भक्त्याद्य स्नपनायाहमागता॥ शिवस्य तेन सत्येन भूयान्मे सुतसंगमः

yena satyena bhaktyādya snapanāyāhamāgatā śivasya tena satyena bhūyānme sutasaṁgamaḥ

"By the truth of the devotion with which I came today to bathe Shiva, by that very truth, may I be reunited with my son once more."

Verse 13 (skanda.6.50.13)

एवं सा करुणं यावन्नन्दिनी विलपत्यलम्॥ तावद्व्याघ्रः स्मितं कृत्वा प्रोवाच परुषाक्षरम्

evaṁ sā karuṇaṁ yāvannandinī vilapatyalam tāvadvyāghraḥ smitaṁ kṛtvā provāca paruṣākṣaram

While Nandini was thus lamenting most piteously, the tiger, smiling, spoke these harsh words.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.50.14)

व्याघ्र उवाच॥ प्रलापान्किं मुधा धेनो करोषि वशगा मम॥ तस्मादिष्टतमं देवं स्मर स्वर्गकृते शुभे

vyāghra uvāca pralāpānkiṁ mudhā dheno karoṣi vaśagā mama tasmādiṣṭatamaṁ devaṁ smara svargakṛte śubhe

The tiger said: "O cow, why do you make these useless laments, now that you are in my power? Therefore, O blessed one, remember your most beloved god, so as to attain heaven."

Verse 15 (skanda.6.50.15)

धेनुरुवाच॥ नाहमात्मकृते व्याघ्र विलपामि सुदुः खिता॥ शिवार्चनकृते मृत्युर्मम जातः शुभावहः

dhenuruvāca nāhamātmakṛte vyāghra vilapāmi suduḥ khitā śivārcanakṛte mṛtyurmama jātaḥ śubhāvahaḥ

The cow said: "O tiger, I do not lament in sorrow for my own sake; this death of mine, coming as it does through the worship of Shiva, is itself auspicious."

Verse 16 (skanda.6.50.16)

वत्सो मे गोकुले बद्धः स्मरमाणो ममागमम्॥ सन्तिष्ठते पयोवृत्तिः कथं स्यात्स मया विना

vatso me gokule baddhaḥ smaramāṇo mamāgamam santiṣṭhate payovṛttiḥ kathaṁ syātsa mayā vinā

"My calf, tied up in the cow-settlement, waiting for my return, lives on nothing but milk -- how will he survive without me?"

Verse 17 (skanda.6.50.17)

एतस्मात्कारणाद्व्याघ्र विलपामि सुदुःखिता॥ न चात्मजीवनार्थाय सत्येनात्मानमालभे

etasmātkāraṇādvyāghra vilapāmi suduḥkhitā na cātmajīvanārthāya satyenātmānamālabhe

"For this reason, O tiger, I lament in such great distress; it is not to save my own life that I speak this truth to you."

Verse 18 (skanda.6.50.18)

तस्मान्मुंच महाव्याघ्र मां सद्यः सुतवत्सलाम्॥ सखीजनस्य तं दत्त्वा समागच्छामि तेंतिकम्

tasmānmuṁca mahāvyāghra māṁ sadyaḥ sutavatsalām sakhījanasya taṁ dattvā samāgacchāmi teṁtikam

"Therefore, O great tiger, release me at once, loving my son as I do; having given him over to my companions, I will come back here to you."

Verse 19 (skanda.6.50.19)

व्याघ्र उवाच॥ कथं मृत्युमुखं प्राप्य निष्क्रम्य च कथञ्चन॥ भूयस्तत्रैव निर्यासि तस्मात्त्वां भक्षयाम्यहम्

vyāghra uvāca kathaṁ mṛtyumukhaṁ prāpya niṣkramya ca kathañcana bhūyastatraiva niryāsi tasmāttvāṁ bhakṣayāmyaham

The tiger said: "How could anyone, having reached the very jaws of death and somehow escaped, ever come back again to that same place? Therefore I shall devour you now."

Verse 20 (skanda.6.50.20)

नन्दिन्युवाच॥ शपथैरागमिष्यामि यैः पुनर्व्याघ्र तेंऽतिकम्॥ तानाकर्णय मे वक्त्रात्ततो युक्तं समाचर

nandinyuvāca śapathairāgamiṣyāmi yaiḥ punarvyāghra teṁ'tikam tānākarṇaya me vaktrāttato yuktaṁ samācara

Nandini said: "O tiger, hear from my own mouth the oaths by which I shall surely return again to your side; then act as you see fit."

Verse 21 (skanda.6.50.21)

यत्पापं ब्रह्महत्यायां मातापित्रोश्च वंचने॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

yatpāpaṁ brahmahatyāyāṁ mātāpitrośca vaṁcane tena pāpena lipyehaṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with the sin that belongs to the killing of a brahmin, and to the deceiving of one's own parents."

Verse 22 (skanda.6.50.22)

विवस्त्रं स्नानसक्तानां दिवामैथुनगामिनाम्॥ यत्पापं तेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

vivastraṁ snānasaktānāṁ divāmaithunagāminām yatpāpaṁ tena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with the sin of those who bathe naked in public, and of those who indulge in intercourse by day."

Verse 23 (skanda.6.50.23)

रजस्वलानुसक्तानां यत्पापं नग्नशायिनाम्॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

rajasvalānusaktānāṁ yatpāpaṁ nagnaśāyinām tena pāpena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with the sin of those who consort with a woman during her courses, and of those who sleep unclothed."

Verse 24 (skanda.6.50.24)

विश्वासघातकानां च कृतघ्नानां च यद्भवेत्॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

viśvāsaghātakānāṁ ca kṛtaghnānāṁ ca yadbhavet tena pāpena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with whatever sin belongs to betrayers of trust and to the ungrateful."

Verse 25 (skanda.6.50.25)

गोकन्याब्राह्मणानां च दूषकानां च यद्भवेत्॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

gokanyābrāhmaṇānāṁ ca dūṣakānāṁ ca yadbhavet tena pāpena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with whatever sin belongs to those who violate cows, maidens, and brahmins."

Verse 26 (skanda.6.50.26)

वृथापाकप्रकर्तृणां वृथामांसाशिनां च यत्॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

vṛthāpākaprakartṛṇāṁ vṛthāmāṁsāśināṁ ca yat tena pāpena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with whatever sin belongs to those who cook food needlessly, and to those who eat meat needlessly."

Verse 27 (skanda.6.50.27)

व्रतभंगप्रकर्तृणामनृतौ गामिनां च यत्॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

vratabhaṁgaprakartṛṇāmanṛtau gāmināṁ ca yat tena pāpena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with whatever sin belongs to those who break their vows, and to those given over to falsehood."

Verse 28 (skanda.6.50.28)

पैशुन्यसूचकानां च यत्पापं शस्त्रकर्मणाम्॥ तेन पापेन लिप्येऽहं नागच्छामि पुनर्यदि

paiśunyasūcakānāṁ ca yatpāpaṁ śastrakarmaṇām tena pāpena lipye'haṁ nāgacchāmi punaryadi

"If I do not come again, may I be tainted with whatever sin belongs to slanderers and tale-bearers, and to those who commit violence with weapons."