PANCHA TANTRA-MITRA BHEDAA-29

 SUBHASHITHANI:351

THE STORY OF THE CRANE AND THE CRAB

भक्षयित्वा बहून् मत्स्यान् उत्तमाधम-मध्यमान् ।
अतिलौल्याद् बकः कश्चिन् मृतः कर्कटक-ग्रहात् ॥ २३२ ॥

bhakṣayitvā bahūn matsyān uttamādhama-madhyamān |
atilaulyād bakaḥ kaścin mṛtaḥ karkaṭaka-grahāt || 232 ||

A crane perished through excess of greediness ,that ate fish of all sizes, by being seized  by  a crab.

The beauty of Panchatantra is that a crane is talking about Varaha mihira's astronomical predictions:

यदि भिन्ते सूर्यसुतो रोहिण्याः शकटमिह लोके ।

द्वादश वर्षाणि तदा नहि वर्षति वासवौ भूमौ ॥१.२३३॥

yadi bhinte sūrya-suto rohiṇyāḥ śakaṭam iha loke |
dvādaśa varṣāṇi tadā nahi varṣati vāsavau bhūmau || 233 ||

If Saturn in his heavenly journey enters the cart-like constellation containing Rohini, then for twelve years Indra (Rain god) will stop the rain on earth. 

प्राजापत्ये शकटे भिन्ने कृत्वैव पातकं वसुधा ।
भस्मास्थिशकलाकीर्णा कापालिकमिव व्रतं धत्ते ॥१.२३४॥

prājāpatye śakaṭe bhinne kṛtvaiva pātakaṃ vasudhā |
bhasmāsthi-śakalākīrṇā kāpālikam iva vrataṃ dhatte || 234 ||

When the cart of Prajapati is passed through the earth, being covered over with ashes and pieces of bones appears to practice the vow of a Kapalika, after having committed sin, as it were.

(Note: When a planet passes through the cart of Rohini, there is want of rain followed by a terrible famine. Earth becomes parched and arid and is covered with ashes and bones of people who die in consequence.)

रोहिणीशकटमर्कनन्दनश्चेद्
भिन्नत्ति रुधिरोऽथवा शशी ।
किं वदामि तदनिष्टसागरे
सर्वलोकमुपयाति सङ्क्षयः ॥१.२३५॥

rohiṇī-śakaṭam arka-nandanaś ced bhinnatti rudhiro 'thavā śaśī |
kiṃ vadāmi tad-aniṣṭa-sāgare sarva-lokam upayāti saṅkṣayaḥ || 235 ||

If any of these, Saturn, Mars or Moon are able to enter the cart-like constellation containing Rohini then a veritable ocean of disaster will destroy the entire universe. 

रोहिणीशकटमध्यसंस्थिते
चन्द्रमस्य शरणीकृता जनाः ।
क्वापि यान्ति शिशुपाचिताशनाः
सूर्यतप्तभिदुराम्बुपायिनः ॥१.२३६॥

rohiṇī-śakaṭa-madhya-saṃsthite candram asya śaraṇī-kṛtā janāḥ |
kvāpi yānti śiśupācitāśanāḥ sūrya-tapta-bhidurāmbu-pāyinaḥ || 236 ||

If the Moon enters the constellation then the people will become totally
helpless and in some places even eat their own young ones. In some places the strong rays of the sun will render the water unfit for drinking."

( I have taken the help of Samskrutam studies while translating the slokas 235 and 236.  My sincere thanks to them.)

यस्य बुद्धिर्बलं तस्य निर्बुद्धेस्तु कुतो बलम् ।
वने सिंहो मदोन्मत्तः शशकेन निपातितः ॥१.२३७॥

yasya buddhir balaṃ tasya nirbuddhes tu kuto balam |
vane siṃho madonmattaḥ śaśakena nipātitaḥ || 237 ||

He who has intelligence has strength (power), where is power in a fool?

In the forest a proud lion was fooled by a rabbit and met with his death.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH