THE CROW AND THE MOUSE - PTML8

 SUBHASHITHANI:397

Soon, Hiranyaka and LaghuPatanaka became inseparable friends, much against nature, as the nail and the finger. After a period of time, one day, the Crow came to the mouse with tears in his eyes, and in a choking voice, mentioned that he is tired of his present place and suffering from hunger and hence would like to move to some other location.....

पुत्राद् अपि प्रियतरं खलु तेन दानं
 मन्ये पशोर् अपि विवेक-विवर्जितस्य ।
दत्ते खले तु निखिलं खलु येन दुग्धं
नित्यं ददाति महिषी ससुतापि पश्य ॥ ५४ ॥

putrād api priyataraṃ khalu tena dānaṃ

 manye paśor api viveka-vivarjitasya |
datte khale tu nikhilaṃ khalu yena dugdhaṃ

 nityaṃ dadāti mahiṣī sasutāpi paśya ||2.54 ||

A gift is, for the reason mentioned earlier, indeed dearer than its off-spring even to an animal lacking in discrimination; since a she buffalo, forgetting her own off-spring, gives whole of her milk to the milk man who offers her an oil-cake(fodder).

प्रीतिं निरन्तरां कृत्वा दुर्भेद्यां नख-मांसवत् ।
मूषको वायसश् चैव गतौ कृत्रिम-मित्रताम् ॥ ५५ ॥
prītiṃ nirantarāṃ kṛtvā durbhedyāṃ nakha-māṃsavat |
mūṣako vāyasaś caiva gatau kṛtrima-mitratām || 2.55 ||
The crow and mouse became such friends as never would fail, enduring, hard to split, as finger and nail.

अनावृष्टि-हते देशे सस्ये च प्रलयं गते ।
धन्यास् तात न पश्यन्ति देश-भङ्गं कुल-क्षयम् ॥ ५६ ॥

anāvṛṣṭi-hate deśe sasye ca pralayaṃ gate |
dhanyās tāta na paśyanti deśa-bhaṅgaṃ kula-kṣayam || 2.56 ||

When a country is infested with famine and all grains are destroyed, blessed are those who do not see the devastation of their country and the destruction of their family.

को ऽतिभारः समर्थानां किं दूरं व्यवसायिनाम् ।
को विदेशः सविद्यानां कः परः प्रिय-वादिनाम् ॥ ५७ ॥

ko 'tibhāraḥ samarthānāṃ kiṃ dūraṃ vyavasāyinām |
ko videśaḥ savidyānāṃ kaḥ paraḥ priya-vādinām || 2.57 ||

What is too heavy for the strong and what place is too distant for those who put forth effort? What country is foreign to a man of true learning? Who can be inimical to one who speaks pleasingly?

विद्वत्त्वं च नृपत्वं च नैव तुल्यं कदाचन ।
स्व-देशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान् सर्वत्र पूज्यते ॥ ५८ ॥
vidvattvaṃ ca nṛpatvaṃ ca naiva tulyaṃ kadācana |
sva-deśe pūjyate rājā vidvān sarvatra pūjyate || 2.58 ||
Intelligence and kingship can never be compared. A king is respected in his own land whereas a wise man is respected everywhere.

सम्पातं विप्र-पातं च महा-पातं निपातनम् ।
वक्रं तिर्यक् तथा चोर्ध्वम् अष्टमं लघु-संज्ञकम् ॥ ५९ ॥

sampātaṃ vipra-pātaṃ ca mahā-pātaṃ nipātanam |
vakraṃ tiryak tathā cordhvam aṣṭamaṃ laghu-saṃjñakam || 2.59 ||

There are eight different modes of flying: An even easy flight, a sudden dart, a great flight, descending flight, a crooked flight, flying in zig zag way, flying upwards and a quick flight.

किं चन्दनैः स-कर्पूरैस् तुहिनैः किं च शीतलैः ।
सर्वे ते मित्र-गात्रस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् ॥ ६० ॥

kiṃ candanaiḥ sa-karpūrais tuhinaiḥ kiṃ ca śītalaiḥ |
sarve te mitra-gātrasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm || 2.60 ||

It is said that fragrant sandal paste, the coolness of snow flakes, nothing compares to the bliss that one feels when hugging a friend.

(कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्-Not even a sixteenth part of)

केनामृतम् इदं सृष्टं मित्रम् इत्य् अक्षर-द्वयम् ।
आपदां च परित्राणं शोक-सन्ताप-भेषजम् ॥ ६१ ॥

kenāmṛtam idaṃ sṛṣṭaṃ mitram ity akṣara-dvayam |
āpadāṃ ca paritrāṇaṃ śoka-santāpa-bheṣajam || 2.61 ||

By whom is this nectar, in the form of two letters ‘mi-tra’ created? Which saves one from adversity and serves as a medicine to cure from distress.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH