संत्रस्तरूपस्त्राणार्थी त्वत्तो भीतो महाद्विज। मत्सकाशमनुप्रप्तः प्राणगृध्नुरयं द्विजः
This great bird, frightened and seeking protection from you, has come to me, desiring life, O twice-born one.
एवमभ्यागतस्येह कपोतस्याभयार्थिनः। अप्रदाने परो धर्मः किं त्वं श्येनेह पश्यसि
When a dove comes here seeking safety, if you do not grant it, what greater righteousness do you see in the hawk?
प्रस्पन्दमानः संभ्रान्तः कपोतः श्येन लक्ष्यते। मत्सकाशं जीवितार्थी तस्य त्यागो विगर्हितः
The dove, trembling and agitated, is marked by the hawk; he has come to me for the sake of his life, and abandoning him is censured.
[यो हि कश्चिद्द्विजान्हन्याद्गां वा लोकस्य मातरम्। शरणागतं च त्यजते तुल्यं तेषां हि पातकम्]
[Whoever kills a twice-born, or a cow, the mother of the world, or abandons one who has sought refuge—these are equal sins.]
आहारत्सर्वभूतानि संभवन्ति महीपते। आहारेण विवर्धन्ते तेन जीवन्ति जन्तवः
All beings, O king, arise from food; by food they grow, and by food creatures live.
शक्यते दुस्त्यजेऽप्यर्थे चिररात्राय जीवितुम्। न तु भोजनमुत्सृज्य शक्यं वर्तयितुं चिरम्
One may live for a long time even in distress, but without food, it is not possible to survive for long.
भक्ष्याद्विलोपितस्याद्य मम प्राणा विशांपते। विसृज्यकायमेष्यन्ति पन्थानमपुनर्भवम्
If I am deprived of my food today, O lord of the people, my life will depart, and I will go to the path of no return, abandoning my body.
प्रमृते मयि धर्मात्मन्पुत्रदारादि नङ्क्ष्यति। रक्षमाणः कपोतं त्वं बहून्प्राणान्न रक्षसि
If I perish, O righteous one, my children, wife, and others will be destroyed; by protecting the dove, you do not protect many lives.
बहून्यो बाधते धर्मो न स धर्मः कुवर्त्म तत्। अविरोधी तु यो धर्मः स धर्मः सत्यविक्रम
That righteousness which harms many is not righteousness; that is a wrong path. True righteousness, O steadfast one, is that which does not cause harm.
विरोधिषु महीपाल निश्चित्य गुरुलाघवम्। न बाधा विद्यते यत्र तं धर्मं समुपाचरेत्
O protector of the earth, having considered the greater and lesser among conflicting duties, one should follow that righteousness where there is no harm.
गुरुलाघवमाज्ञाय धर्माधर्मविनिश्चये। यतो भूयांस्ततो राजन्कुरु धर्मविनिश्चयम्
Knowing the relative weight of righteousness and unrighteousness, O King, wherever there is greater merit, there you should determine the course of dharma.
बहुकल्याणसंयुक्तं भाषसे विहगोत्तम। सुपर्णः पक्षिराट् किं त्वं धर्मं ज्ञात्वाऽभिभाषसे
You speak words filled with much goodness, O best among birds; are you, Suparna, king of birds, speaking thus having understood dharma?
तथाहि धर्मसंयुक्तं बहुचित्रं च भाषसे। न तेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिदिति त्वां लक्षयाम्यहम्। शरणैषिपरित्यागं कथं साध्विति मन्यसे
Indeed, you speak of dharma with much variety; I perceive that nothing is unknown to you. How then do you consider the abandonment of one seeking refuge as virtuous?
आहारार्थं समारम्भस्तव चायं विहंगम। शक्यश्चाप्यन्यथा कर्तुमाहारोऽप्यधिकस्त्वया
This effort of yours, O bird, is for the sake of food; yet you are capable of obtaining food by other means, and even more abundantly.
गोवृषो वा वराहो वा मृगो वा महिषोपि वा। त्वदर्थमद्य क्रियतां यच्चान्यदिह काङ्क्षसि
Let a bull, a boar, a deer, or even a buffalo be prepared for you today, or whatever else you desire here.
न वराहं न चोक्षाणं न मृगान्विविधांस्तथा। भक्षयामि महाराज किं ममान्येन केचचित्
I do not eat boars, nor bulls, nor various kinds of deer, O great king; what concern have I with any other creature?
यस्तु मे दैवविहितो भक्षः क्षत्रियपुङ्गव। तमुत्सृज महीपाल कपोतमिममेव मे
That which is destined for me by fate, O foremost of warriors, grant me that, O ruler of the earth—this pigeon alone is my allotted food.
श्येनाः कपोतान्स्वादन्ति श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी। मा राजन्सारमज्ञात्वा कदलीस्कन्धमासज
Hawks eat pigeons—this is the eternal tradition; O King, do not, ignorant of the essence, cling to the stalk of the banana tree.
राष्ट्रं शिवीनामृद्धं वै शाधि पक्षिभिरर्चितः। कृत्स्नमेतन्मया दत्तं राजवद्विहगोत्तम
Rule the prosperous kingdom of the Shivis, honored by birds; all this has been given to you by me, O best among birds, as a king.
यं वा कामयसे कामं श्येन सर्वं ददानि ते। विनेमं पक्षिणं श्यन शरणार्थिनमागतम्
Whatever you desire, O hawk, I shall give it all to you, except for this bird who has come seeking refuge, O hawk.
येनेमं स्थापयेथास्त्वं कर्मणा पक्षिसत्तम। तदाचक्ष्व करिष्यामि न हि दास्ये कपोतकम्
By whatever act you would keep this bird, O best among birds, tell me that—I shall do it; but I will not give up the pigeon.
उशीनर कपोते ते यदि स्नेहो नराधिप। आत्मनो मांसमुत्कृत्य कपोततुलया धृतम्
O Ushinara, if you have affection for the pigeon, O lord of men, then cut flesh from your own body and weigh it equal to the pigeon.
यदा समं कपोतेन तव मांसं नृपोत्तम। त्वया प्रदेयं तन्मह्यं सा मे तुष्टिर्भविष्यति
When your flesh, O best of kings, is given to me equal in weight to the pigeon, then I shall be satisfied.
अनुग्रहमिमं मन्ये श्येन यन्माभियाचसे। तस्मात्तेऽद्य प्रदास्यामि स्वमांसं तुलया धृतम्
I consider this request of yours, O hawk, as a favor; therefore today I shall give you my own flesh, weighed on the scale.
अथोत्कृत्य स्वमांसं तु राजा परमधर्मवित्। तुलयामास कौन्तेय कपोतेन समं विभो
Then, having cut his own flesh, the king, knower of supreme dharma, weighed it, O son of Kunti, equal to the pigeon.
ध्रियमाणः कपोतस्तु मांसेनात्यतिरिच्यते। पुनश्चोत्कृत्यमांसानि राजा प्रादादुशीनरः
But as the pigeon was weighed, it exceeded the flesh; again the king Ushinara cut more flesh and gave it.
न विद्यते यदा मांसं कपोतेन समं धृतम्। तत उत्कृत्तमांसोऽसावारुरोह स्वयं तुलाम्
When there was no flesh equal in weight to the pigeon, then the king himself climbed onto the scale, having cut his own flesh.
इन्द्रोऽहमस्मि धर्मज्ञ कपोतो हव्यवाडयम्। जिज्ञासमानौ धर्म त्वां यज्ञवाटमुपागतौ
I am Indra, O knower of dharma; the pigeon is Agni, the eater of offerings. We came to you at the sacrificial altar, seeking to test your righteousness.
यत्ते मांसानि गात्रेभ्य उक्तृत्तानि विशांपते। एषा ते शाश्वती कीर्तिर्लोकानभिभविष्यति
The flesh that you have cut from your own limbs, O lord of men, will grant you eternal fame that shall surpass all worlds.
यावल्लोके मनुष्यास्त्वां कथयिष्यन्ति पार्थिव। तावत्कीर्तिश्च लोकाश्च स्थास्यन्ति तव शाश्वताः
As long as people in the world speak of you, O king, so long will your fame and your realms endure, everlasting.