KAKOLUKIYAM-PTKU27

 SUBHASHITHANI:444

AriMardana then turned to  VakraNāsa and asked him - what should we do in this situation? VakraNasa told the story of ब्राह्मणचौरपिशाचकथा- The stoy of the brahmin, thief and the ghost. This story is entirely in prose and contains no slokas. In essence he was for accepting sthirajeevin , as in the story even those who came to harm ended up in doing some good.

AriMardana then asked yet another minister called PrākāraKarna about his opinion:

वल्मीकोदरस्थसर्पकथा -
The story of the snakes in the stomach and the ant-hill

परस्परस्य मर्माणि ये न रक्षन्ति जन्तवः ।
त एव निधनं यान्ति वल्मीकोदर-सर्पवत् ॥ १९१ ॥
parasparasya marmāṇi ye na rakṣanti jantavaḥ |
ta eva nidhanaṃ yānti valmīkodara-sarpavat || 3.191 ||
Those who do not protect each other’s secrets, they invariably die like the snakes living in the ant-hill and in the stomach. ( There are no slokas in this story also)

After haring all the ministers, Arimardhana decided to give asylum to the crow and informed it to all of them. However, Raktaksha who recommended killing the enemy felt they were making a huge mistake.

अपूज्या यत्र पूज्यन्ते पूज्यानां तु विमानना ।
त्रीणि तत्र प्रवर्तन्ते दुर्भिक्षं मरणं भयम् ॥ १९२ ॥

apūjyā yatra pūjyante pūjyānāṃ tu vimānanā |
trīṇi tatra pravartante durbhikṣaṃ maraṇaṃ bhayam || 3.192 ||

In a Country or community where persons unfit for being revered are revered, and those who deserve to be revered are shown disrespect and humiliated, these three scourges, namely famine, death and fear prevail.

The story of the gullible carpenter :

प्रत्यक्षेऽपि कृते पापे मूर्खः साम्ना प्रशाम्यति ।
रथ-कारः स्वकां भार्यां सजारां शिरसावहत् ॥ १९३ ॥

pratyakṣe'pi kṛte pāpe mūrkhaḥ sāmnā praśāmyati |
ratha-kāraḥ svakāṃ bhāryāṃ sajārāṃ śirasāvahat || 3.193 ||

Even if a sin is committed in broad daylight, a fool who witnesses it can be tricked into believing otherwise. Just like the foolish carpenter was tricked into carrying his promiscuous wife and her lover on his own shoulders.

यदि स्यात् पावकः शीतः प्रोष्णी वा शश-लाञ्छनः ।
स्त्रीणां तदा सतीत्वं स्याद् यदि स्याद् दुर्जनो हितः ॥ १९४ ॥

yadi syāt pāvakaḥ śītaḥ proṣṇī vā śaśa-lāñchanaḥ |
strīṇāṃ tadā satītvaṃ syād yadi syād durjano hitaḥ || 3.194 ||

When fire tends to be cold, when moon tends to be warm or the wicked tend to be helpful only then it is possible that women are faithful.

यच् च वेदेषु शास्त्रेषु न दृष्टं न च संश्रुतम् ।
तत् सर्वं वेत्ति लोको ऽयं यत् स्याद् ब्रह्माण्ड-मध्यगम् ॥ १९५ ॥

yac ca vedeṣu śāstreṣu na dṛṣṭaṃ na ca saṃśrutam |
tat sarvaṃ vetti loko 'yaṃ yat syād brahmāṇḍa-madhyagam || 3.195 ||

Things that are not seen or heard even in the vedas are sastras, the public somehow come to know about any thing and every thing that happens in any nook and corner of the earth.

(This is when there was no internet or whatsap) 

दुर्दिवसे घन-तिमिरे वर्षति जलदे महाटवी-प्रभृतौ ।
पत्युर् विदेश-गमने परम-सुखं जघन-चपलायाः ॥ १९६ ॥

durdivase ghana-timire varṣati jalade mahāṭavī-prabhṛtau |
patyur videśa-gamane parama-sukhaṃ jaghana-capalāyāḥ || 3.196 ||

On a day when there are dense dark clouds, raining heavily and streets are mired with sticky clay, when the husband has gone to another city, the flirt becomes supremely happy.

( The story ends with the unfaithful wife successfully deceiving her gullible husband by clever acting )

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

KAKOLUKIYAM-PTKU26

 SUBHASHITHANI:443

AriMardana then turned to Deeptāksha and asked  what he thinks is the best course of action under the circumstances?
Deeptāksha advised that the crow should be spared its life, as sometimes a person inimical to our best interest may also be beneficial for us. 

या ममोद्विजते नित्यं सा ममाद्यावगूहते ।
प्रिय-कारक भद्रं ते यन् ममास्ति हरस्व तत् ॥ १८६ ॥

yā mamodvijate nityaṃ sā mamādyāvagūhate |
priya-kāraka bhadraṃ te yan mamāsti harasva tat || 3.186 ||

She who always desisted me is hugging me to-day. oh benefactor! Good luck to you. Whatever is mine take any of them.

हर्तव्यं ते न पश्यामि हर्तव्यं चेद् भविष्यति ।
पुनर् अप्य् आगमिष्यामि यदीयं नावगूहते ॥ १८७ ॥

hartavyaṃ te na paśyāmi hartavyaṃ ced bhaviṣyati |
punar apy āgamiṣyāmi yadīyaṃ nāvagūhate ||3.187 ||
The thief said – There is nothing of worth to me; I’ll come back again if anything worth stealing turns up, and also if she does not embrace you.

चौरवृद्धवणिक्कथा - 

The story of the thief and the old merchant

श्वेतं पदं शिरसि यत् तु शिरोरुहाणां

स्थानं परं परिभवस्य तद् एव पुंसाम् ।
आरोपितास्थि-शकलं परिहृत्य यान्ति

चाण्डाल-कूपम् इव दूरतरं तरुण्यः ॥ १८८ ॥

śvetaṃ padaṃ śirasi yat tu śiroruhāṇāṃ

 sthānaṃ paraṃ paribhavasya tad eva puṃsām |
āropitāsthi-śakalaṃ parihṛtya yānti

 cāṇḍāla-kūpam iva dūrataraṃ taruṇyaḥ || 3.188 ||

Once the first grey hair appears on the head a man starts getting humiliated. Just like people are afraid to go near the well, intended for use by hangman and the like.

गात्रं सङ्कुचितं गतिर् विगलिता दन्ताश् च

नाशङ्गता दृष्टिर् भ्राम्यति रूपम् अप्य् उपहतं वक्त्रं च लालायते ।
वाक्यं नैव करोति बान्धव-जनः पत्नी न शुश्रूषते

धिक् कष्टं जरयाभिभूत-पूरुषं पुत्रो ऽप्य् अवज्ञायते ॥ १८९ ॥

gātraṃ saṅkucitaṃ gatir vigalitā dantāś ca

nāśaṅgatā dṛṣṭir bhrāmyati rūpam apy upahataṃ vaktraṃ ca lālāyate |
vākyaṃ naiva karoti bāndhava-janaḥ patnī na śuśrūṣate

 dhik kaṣṭaṃ jarayābhibhūta-pūruṣaṃ putro 'py avajñāyate || 3.189 ||

The body has shrunk, the walk is tottering, the teeth have fallen, the sight has dimmed, hearing is diminished, saliva drips from the mouth, relatives do not heed the words, the wife also does not render service, even the son has become an enemy. O ! the misery of an aged person.

( This sloka is from Bhartruhari's Vairagya satakam )

शत्रवो ऽपि हितार्थैव विवदन्तः परस्परम् ।
चौरेण जीवितं दत्तं राक्षसेन तु गो-युगम् ॥ १९० ॥

śatravo 'pi hitārthaiva vivadantaḥ parasparam |
caureṇa jīvitaṃ dattaṃ rākṣasena tu go-yugam || 3.190 ||

From enemies expect relief,

If discord pierce their host;

Thus, life was given by the thief

And cattle by the ghost.- Translation by A.W.Ryder

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

 

KAKOLUKIYAM-PTKU25

 SUBHASHITHANI:442

सो ऽपि दिव्य-तनुर् भूत्वा यथार्थम् इदम् अब्रवीत् ।
अहो माम् अनुगच्छन्त्या कृतं साधु शुभे त्वया ॥ १८१ ॥

so 'pi divya-tanur bhūtvā yathārtham idam abravīt |
aho mām anugacchantyā kṛtaṃ sādhu śubhe tvayā || 3.181 ||

The male bird, who also obtained divinely body addressed his wife with words of consolation; by following your husband, oh auspicious one! You have taken the best course of action.

तिस्रः कोट्यो ऽर्ध-कोटी च यानि रोमाणि मानुषे ।
तावत् कालं वसेत् स्वर्गे भर्तारं यानुगच्छति ॥ १८२ ॥
tisraḥ koṭyo 'rdha-koṭī ca yāni romāṇi mānuṣe |
tāvat kālaṃ vaset svarge bhartāraṃ yānugacchati || 3.182 ||
There grow upon a man alive
Some thirty million hairs and five;
So many years in heaven spend
Wives following husbands to the end.- Translation by A.W.Ryder

कपोत-देहः सूर्यास्ते प्रत्यहं सुखम् अन्वभूत् ।
कपोत-देहवत्सासीत् प्राक् पुण्य-प्रभवं हितम् ॥ १८३ ॥

kapota-dehaḥ sūryāste pratyahaṃ sukham anvabhūt |
kapota-dehavatsāsīt prāk puṇya-prabhavaṃ hitam || 3.183 ||

With their own pigeon bodies, for eternity, day after day they enjoyed happily; this happened to them due to their previous meritorious deeds.

हर्षाविष्टस् ततो व्याधो विवेश च वनं धनम् ।
प्राणि-हिंसां परित्यज्य बहु-निर्वेदवान् भृशम् ॥ १८४ ॥
harṣāviṣṭas tato vyādho viveśa ca vanaṃ dhanam |
prāṇi-hiṃsāṃ parityajya bahu-nirvedavān bhṛśam || 3.184 ||
Feeling happiness over the turn of events the hunter then entered a dense forest; forsaking cruelty to animals, he started meditating and became highly disgusted with the world.

तत्र दावानलं दृष्ट्वा विवेश विरताशयः ।
निर्दग्ध-कल्मषो भूत्वा स्वर्ग-सौख्यम् अवाप्तवान् ॥ १८५ ॥

tatra dāvānalaṃ dṛṣṭvā viveśa viratāśayaḥ |
nirdagdha-kalmaṣo bhūtvā svarga-saukhyam avāptavān || 3.185 ||

And there he saw a forest fire and entered it free from all his desires; with all of his sins burnt away, he also went to heaven, there to stay.

Thus concluded Krooraaksha's advice to the owl king Arimardhana; suggesting asylum to the crow rather than killing him.

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH

KAKOLUKIYAM-PTKU24

 SUBHASHITHANI:441

नूनं मम नृशंसस्य प्रत्यादर्शः सुदर्शितः ।
प्रयच्छता स्व-मांसानि कपोतेन महात्मना ॥ १७२ ॥
nūnaṃ mama nṛśaṃsasya pratyādarśaḥ sudarśitaḥ |
prayacchatā sva-māṃsāni kapotena mahātmanā || 3.172 ||
Surely, this high-souled pigeon by offering its own flesh, has shown to a cruel person like me, an example of opposite nature.

अद्य-प्रभृति देहं स्वं सर्व-भोग-विवर्जितम् ।
तोयं स्वल्पं यथा ग्रीष्मः शोषयिष्याम्य् अहं पुनः ॥ १७३ ॥

adya-prabhṛti dehaṃ svaṃ sarva-bhoga-vivarjitam |
toyaṃ svalpaṃ yathā grīṣmaḥ śoṣayiṣyāmy ahaṃ punaḥ || 3.173 ||

From now on, I will subdue the body of all its needs and desires; just as summer dries up small reservoirs of water.

शीत-वातातप-सहः कृशाङ्गो मलिनस् तथा ।
उपवासैर् बहुविधैश् चरिष्ये धर्मम् उत्तमम् ॥ १७४ ॥

śīta-vātātapa-sahaḥ kṛśāṅgo malinas tathā |
upavāsair bahuvidhaiś cariṣye dharmam uttamam || 3.174 ||

Withstanding cold, wind and heat, with my limbs emaciated and dirty, I will perform various kinds of fasting and devote myself to practice of highest dharmic life

लुब्धकेन ततो मुक्ता दृष्ट्वाग्नौ पतितं पतिम् ।
कपोती विललापार्ता शोक-सन्तप्त-मानसा ॥ १७६ ॥

lubdhakena tato muktā dṛṣṭvāgnau patitaṃ patim |
kapotī vilalāpārtā śoka-santapta-mānasā || 3.176 ||

Released by the hunter the pigeon saw her husband who had fallen in to the fire; she started sobbing loudly, unable to bear her grief.

न कार्यम् अद्य मे नाथ जीवितेन त्वया विना ।
दीनायाः पति-हीनायाः किं नार्या जीविते फलम् ॥ १७७ ॥

na kāryam adya me nātha jīvitena tvayā vinā |
dīnāyāḥ pati-hīnāyāḥ kiṃ nāryā jīvite phalam || 3.177 ||

Without you I have nothing to achieve in this life; miserable and without husband, what meaning can a woman derive from her life?

मानो दर्पस् त्व् अहङ्कारः कुलं पूजा च बन्धुषु ।
दास-भृत्य-जनेष्व् आज्ञा वैधव्येन प्रणश्यति ॥ १७८ ॥

māno darpas tv ahaṅkāraḥ kulaṃ pūjā ca bandhuṣu |
dāsa-bhṛtya-janeṣv ājñā vaidhavyena praṇaśyati || 3.178 ||

Self-esteem, pride, ego, the family honour shown to a bride, authority over the servants, all disappear with widowhood.

एवं विलप्य बहुशः कृपणं भृश-दुःखिता ।
पतिव्रता सुसन्दीप्तं तम् एवाग्निं विवेश सा ॥ १७९ ॥

evaṃ vilapya bahuśaḥ kṛpaṇaṃ bhṛśa-duḥkhitā |
pativratā susandīptaṃ tam evāgniṃ viveśa sā || 3.179 ||

Thus, weeping for long, feeling the bitter sorrow ever more, that devoted wife entered in to the blazing fire which consumed her husband.

ततो दिव्याम्बर-धरा दिव्याभरण-भूषिता ।
भर्तारं सा विमानस्थं ददर्श स्वं कपोतिका ॥ १८० ॥

tato divyāmbara-dharā divyābharaṇa-bhūṣitā |
bhartāraṃ sā vimānasthaṃ dadarśa svaṃ kapotikā || 3.180 ||

And lo! She sees her husband shine—
Oh wonder! – in a car divine;
Her body wears a heavenly gown;
And heavenly gems hang pendent down. Translation-A.W.Ryder

SRI KRISHNAYA THUBHYAM NAMAH