Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 3.200
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3.200.1
देवानां कथा संजाता महीतलं गत्वा महीपतिं शिबिमौशीनरं साध्वेनं शिबिं जिज्ञास्याम इति ॥ एवं भो इत्युक्त्वा अग्नीन्द्रावुपतिष्ठेताम् ॥ ३.२००.१ ॥
A discussion arose among the gods: let us go down to the earth and test Śibi, son of Uśīnara. Saying, "So be it, sir," Agni and Indra approached him.
3.200.2
अग्निः कपोतरूपेण तमभ्यधावदामिषार्थमिन्द्रः श्येनरूपेण ॥ ३.२००.२ ॥
Agni, in the form of a dove, rushed toward him, and Indra, in the form of a hawk, in pursuit of flesh.
3.200.3
अथ कपोतो राज्ञो दिव्यासनासीनस्योत्सङ्गं न्यपतत् ॥ ३.२००.३ ॥
Then the dove fell into the lap of the king, who was seated on a divine seat.
3.200.4
अथ पुरोहितो राजानमब्रवीत् ॥ प्राणरक्षार्थं श्येनाद्भीतो भवन्तं प्राणार्थी प्रपद्यते ॥ ३.२००.४ ॥
Then the priest said to the king: Frightened of the hawk, seeking to save its life, it takes refuge in you.
3.200.5
वसु ददातु अन्तवान्पार्थिवोऽस्य निष्कृतिं कुर्यात् घोरं कपोतस्य निपातमाहुः ॥ ३.२००.५ ॥
Let him give wealth; let the mortal king make amends for this. They say this is the dreadful fall of the dove.
3.200.6
अथ कपोतो राजानमब्रवीत् ॥ प्राणरक्षणार्थं श्येनाद्भीतो भवन्तं प्राणार्थी प्रपद्ये अङ्गैरङ्गानि प्राप्यार्थी मुनिर्भूत्वा प्राणांस्त्वां प्रपद्ये ॥ ३.२००.६ ॥
Then the dove said to the king: Frightened of the hawk, seeking to save my life, I take refuge in you. Desiring to obtain limbs by limbs, having become a sage, I take refuge in you for my life.
3.200.7
स्वाध्यायेन कर्शितं ब्रह्मचारिणं मां विद्धि ॥ तपसा दमेन युक्तमाचार्यस्याप्रतिकूलभाषिणम् ॥ एवंयुक्तमपापं मां विद्धि ॥ ३.२००.७ ॥
Know me as a celibate student, worn thin by the study of the Veda; know me as one endowed with austerity and self-restraint, who speaks no word against his teacher. Thus endowed, know me as sinless.
3.200.8
गदामि वेदानविचिनोमि छन्दः ।
सर्वेवेदा अक्षरशो मे अधीताः।
न साधु दानं श्रोत्रियस्य प्रदानं ।
मा प्रादाः श्येनाय न कपोतोऽस्मि ॥ ३.२००.८ ॥
I recite the Vedas and investigate the metres; I have studied all the Vedas syllable by syllable. A gift to a learned brahmin is not properly given to a hawk. Do not give me to the hawk; I am no pigeon.
3.200.9
अथ श्येनो राजानमब्रवीत् ॥ ३.२००.९ ॥
Then the hawk spoke to the king.
3.200.10
पर्यायेण वसतिर्वा भवेषु ।
सर्गे जातः पूर्वमस्मात्कपोतात्।
त्वमाददानोऽथ कपोतमेनं ।
मा त्वं राजन्विघ्नकर्ता भवेथाः ॥ ३.२००.१० ॥
Dwelling in births comes in turn; in creation I was born before this pigeon. O king, by taking this pigeon, do not become an obstructer.
3.200.11
केनेदृशी जातु परा हि दृष्टा ।
वागुच्यमाना शकनेन संस्कृता।
यां वै कपोतो वदते यां च श्येन ।
उभौ विदित्वा कथमस्तु साधु ॥ ३.२००.११ ॥
Who has ever seen such supreme speech, spoken in refined fashion by a bird? Knowing both the words the pigeon speaks and those the hawk speaks, how shall the right course be made?
3.200.12
नास्य वर्षं वर्षति वर्षकाले ।
नास्य बीजं रोहति काल उप्तम्।
भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे ।
न त्राणं लभेत्राणमिच्छन्स काले ॥ ३.२००.१२ ॥
For him the rain does not fall in the rainy season; for him the seed sown in its season does not sprout. He who gives up to an enemy one who is frightened and has taken refuge does not obtain protection, though he desires protection in his time of need.
3.200.13
जाता ह्रस्वा प्रजा प्रमीयते ।
सदा न वासं पितरोऽस्य कुर्वते।
भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे ।
नास्य देवाः प्रतिगृह्णन्ति हव्यम् ॥ ३.२००.१३ ॥
His offspring, once born, die young, and his ancestors never make a dwelling for him. The gods do not accept the oblation of him who gives up to an enemy one who is frightened and has taken refuge.
3.200.14
मोघमन्नं विन्दति चाप्रचेताः ।
स्वर्गाल्लोकाद्धश्यति शीघ्रमेव।
भीतं प्रपन्नं यो हि ददाति शत्रवे ।
सेन्द्रा देवाः प्रहरन्त्यस्य वज्रम् ॥ ३.२००.१४ ॥
The unwise man obtains only food that is in vain, and quickly falls from heaven and from the world. Upon him who gives up to an enemy one who is frightened and has taken refuge, the gods together with Indra hurl the thunderbolt.
3.200.15
उक्षाणं पक्त्वा सह ओदनेन ।
अस्मात्कपोतात्प्रति ते नयन्तु।
यस्मिन्देशे रमसेऽतीव श्येन ।
तत्रमांसं शिवयस्ते वहन्तु ॥ ३.२००.१५ ॥
Having cooked the bull together with rice, let them bring it back to you, O hawk, from this dove. In whatever land you delight exceedingly, O hawk, let the jackals carry the flesh to you.
3.200.16
नोक्षाणो राजन्प्रार्थयेयं न चान्य ।
दस्मान्मांसमधिकं वा कपोतात्।
देवैर्दत्तः सोऽद्य ममैष भक्ष-
स्तन्मे ददस्व शकुनानामभावात् ॥ ३.२००.१६ ॥
O king, I do not ask for an ox or anything else, nor for more flesh than this dove's. The gods have given me this as my food today; since birds are lacking, give it to me.
3.200.17
उक्षाणं वेहतमनूनं नयन्तु ।
ते पश्यन्तु पुरुषा ममैव।
भयाहितस् दायं ममान्तिकात्त्वां ।
प्रत्याम्नायं तु त्वं ह्येनं मा हिंसीः ॥ ३.२००.१७ ॥
Let my men bring a whole, fine ox, and let them look at it right here before me. Out of fear, a share has been set aside for you from me; but in return, do not harm this one (the dove).
3.200.18
त्यजे प्राणाननैव दद्यां कपोतं ।
सौम्यो ह्ययं किं न जानासि श्येन।
यथा क्लेशं मा कुरुष्वेह सौम्य ।
नाहं कपोतमर्पयिष्ये कथंचित् ॥ ३.२००.१८ ॥
I would give up my life-breaths, but I would not give up the dove. Gentle one, do you not know this, O hawk? Do not cause pain here, gentle one; I will by no means surrender this dove.
3.200.19
यथा मां वै साधुवादैः प्रसन्नाः ।
प्रशंसेयुः शिबयः कर्मणा तु।
यथा श्येन प्रियमेव कुर्यां ।
प्रशाधि मां यद्वदेस्तत्करोमि ॥ ३.२००.१९ ॥
So that the Śibis, pleased, might praise me with fine words and commend my deed; O hawk, instruct me so that I may do what is pleasing to you. Whatever you say, that I will do.
3.200.20
ऊरोर्दक्षिणादुत्कृत्य स्वपिशितं तावद्राजन्यावन्मांसं कपोतेन समम् ॥ तथा तस्मात्साधु त्रातः कपोतः प्रशंसेयुश्च शिबय कृतं च प्रियं स्यान्ममेति ॥ ३.२००.२० ॥
O king, cutting from his right thigh his own flesh, he took as much as would equal the pigeon. Thus the pigeon will be well protected, the Śibis will praise it, and this will be dear to me.
3.200.21
अथ स दक्षिणादूरोरुत्कृत्य स्वमांसपेशीं तुलयाधारयत् ॥ गुरुतर एव कपोत आसीत् ॥ ३.२००.२१ ॥
Then he cut a piece of his own flesh from his right thigh and placed it on a scale; yet the pigeon remained heavier.
3.200.22
पुनरन्यमुच्चकर्त गुरुतर एव कपोतः ॥ एवं सर्वं समधिकृत्य शरीरं तुलायामारोपयामास रतत्तथापि गुरुतर एव कपोत आसीत् ॥ ३.२००.२२ ॥
Again he cut off another piece, yet the pigeon remained heavier. Thus, having cut off his whole body and placed it on the scale, the pigeon still remained heavier.
3.200.23
अथ राजा स्वयमेव तुलामारुरोह ॥ न च व्यलीकमासीद्राज्ञ एतद्वृत्तान्तं दृष्टाव त्रात इत्युक्त्वा प्रालीयत श्येनः अथ राजा अब्रवीत् ॥ ३.२००.२३ ॥
Then the king himself mounted the scale. There was no deceit in the king. Seeing this event, saying 'protected', the hawk vanished; then the king spoke.
3.200.24
कपोतं विद्युः शिवयस्त्वां कपोत ।
पृच्छामि ते शकुने को नु श्येनः।
नानीश्वर ईदृशं जातु कुर्या-
देतं प्रश्नं भगवन्मे विचक्ष्व ॥ ३.२००.२४ ॥
The Śibis know you as a pigeon. O pigeon, I ask you, O bird: who is this hawk? No powerless being could ever do such a thing. O venerable one, explain this question of mine to me.
3.200.25
वैश्वानरोऽहं ज्वलनो धूमकेतु-
रथैव श्येनो वज्रहस्तः शचीपतिः।
साधु ज्ञातुं त्वामृषभं सौरथेय ।
नौ जिज्ञासया त्वत्सकाशंप्रपन्नौ ॥ ३.२००.२५ ॥
I am Vaiśvānara, the blazing fire, smoke-bannered; and this hawk is the thunderbolt-wielding lord of Śacī, Indra. Son of Suratha, bull, we two have come into your presence out of desire to know you well.
3.200.26
यामेतां पेशीं मम निष्क्रयाय ।
प्रादाद्भवानसिनोत्कृत्य राजन्।
एतद्वो लक्ष्म शिवं करोमि ।
हिरण्यवर्णं रुचिरं पुण्यगन्धम् ॥ ३.२००.२६ ॥
O king, this piece of flesh you cut off with a sword and gave as the ransom for me, I make into an auspicious sign for you: golden-hued, lovely, and sweet with the scent of merit.
3.200.27
एतासां प्रजानां पालयिता यशस्वी ।
सुरर्षीणामथ संमतो भृशम्।
एतस्मात्पार्श्वात्पुरुषो जनिष्यति ।
कपोतरोमेति च तस्य नाम ॥ ३.२००.२७ ॥
A man, famous protector of these subjects and greatly esteemed by gods and sages, will be born from this very side; his name will be Kapotaroman.
3.200.28
कपोतरोमाणं शिबिनौद्भिदं पुत्रं प्राप्स्यसि नृपवृषसंहननं यशोदीप्यमानं द्रष्टासि शूरमृषभं सौरथानाम् ॥ ३.२००.२८ ॥
You will obtain a son named Kapotaroman, of Śibi, who splits the earth, a bull among kings in build, blazing with fame; and you will see the heroic bull of the Sauratha line.