उपगम्य तु ते सर्वे बिडालमिदमब्रुवन् । भवत्प्रसादादिच्छामश्चर्तुं चैव यथासुखम्
So all of them approached the cat and said, 'By your favor, we wish to roam about as we please.'
भवान्नो गतिरव्यग्रा भवान्नः परमः सुहृत्। ते वयं सहिताः सर्वे भवन्तं शरणं गताः
'You are our undisturbed refuge, you are our supreme friend; therefore, united, we all take shelter in you.'
भवान्धर्मपरो नित्यं भवान्धर्मे व्यवस्थितः। स नो रक्ष महाप्रज्ञ त्रिदशानिव वज्रभृत्
'You are always devoted to righteousness, you are established in dharma; so protect us, O greatly wise one, as Indra protects the gods.'
एवमुक्तस्तु तैः सर्वैर्मूषिकैः स विशांपते। प्रत्युवाच ततः सर्वान्मूषिकान्मूषिकान्तकृत्
Thus addressed by all the mice, O lord of the people, the cat, destroyer of mice, then replied to them all.
द्वयोर्योगं न पश्यामि तपसो रक्षणस्य च। अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं वचनं भवतां हितम्
'I do not see how asceticism and protection can be combined; but I must certainly speak words for your welfare.'
युष्माभिरपि कर्तव्यं वचनं मम नित्यशः। तपसास्मि परिश्रान्तो दृढं नियमामास्थितः
'You too must always follow my words; I am exhausted by asceticism and firmly established in discipline.'
न चापि गमने शक्तिं कांचित्पश्यामि चिन्तयन्। सोस्मि नेयः सदा ताता नदीकूलमितःपरम्
'Nor do I see any strength left in me for movement, as I reflect; so, my friends, I must always be led across the riverbank.'
तथेति तं प्रतिज्ञाय मूषिका भरतर्षभ । वृद्धबालमथो सर्वं मार्जाराय न्यवेदयन्
Agreeing to this, O best of the Bharatas, the mice pledged themselves and then reported everything, young and old, to the cat.
ततः स पापो दुष्टात्मा मूषिकानथ भक्षयन्। पीवरश्च सुवर्णश्च दृढबन्धश्च जायते
Then that wicked-souled sinner, O lord of mice, eating the mice, becomes fat, golden-hued, and firmly bound.
मूषिकाणां गणश्चात्र भृशं संक्षीयतेऽथ सः। मार्जारो वर्धते चापि तेजोबलसमन्वितः
There, the group of mice is greatly diminished, while that cat grows, endowed with energy and strength.
ततस्ते मूषिकाः सर्वे समेत्यान्योन्यमब्रुवन् । मातुलो वर्धते नित्यं वयं क्षीयामहे भृशम्
Then all the mice, gathering together, said to each other: 'Our uncle grows ever stronger, while we are greatly reduced.'
ततः प्राज्ञतमः कश्चिड्डिण्डिको नाम मूषिकः। अब्रवीद्वचनं राजन्मूषिकाणां महागणम्
Then, the wisest among them, a mouse named Dindika, spoke these words, O king, to the great assembly of mice.
गच्छतां वो नदीतीरं सहितानां विशेषतः। पृष्ठतोऽहं गमिष्यामि सहैव मातुलेन तु
'Let us all especially go together to the riverbank; I will follow behind, along with our uncle.'
साधु साध्विति ते सर्वे पूजयाञ्चक्रिरे तदा। चक्रुश्चैव यथान्यायं डिण्डिकस्य वचोऽर्थवत्
All of them then praised this as good, saying, 'Well said, well said,' and carried out Dindika's meaningful advice as was proper.
अविज्ञानात्ततः सोऽथ डिण्डिकं ह्युपभुक्तवान्। ततस्ते सहिताः सर्वे मन्त्रयामासुरञ्जसा
But due to ignorance, that cat then devoured Dindika; so all the others together quickly held a council.
तत्र वृद्धतमः कश्चित्कोलिको नाम मूषिकः । अब्रवीद्वचनं राजञ्ज्ञातिमध्ये यथातथम्
There, the oldest among them, a mouse named Kolika, spoke these words, O king, truthfully among the kin.
न मातुलो धर्मकामश्छद्ममात्रं कृता शिखा। न मूलफलभक्षस्य विष्ठा भवति लोमशा
'Our uncle does not desire righteousness; his tuft is only for show. The droppings of one who eats roots and fruits are not hairy.'
अस्य गात्राणि वर्धन्ते गणश्च परिहीयते । अद्य सप्ताष्टदिवसान्डिण्डिकोपि न दृश्यते
His body grows while our group diminishes; today it has been seven or eight days, and Dindika too is not seen.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचः सर्वे मूषिका विप्रदुद्रुवुः। बिडालोपि स दुष्टात्मा जगामैव यथागतम्
Hearing these words, all the mice fled in different directions; and that wicked-souled cat departed the way he had come.
तथा त्वमपि दुष्टात्मन्बैडालं व्रतमास्थितः। चरसि ज्ञातिषु सदा बिडालोमूषिकेष्विव
Just so, you too, wicked-souled, having adopted the vow of a cat, behave among your kin always like the cat among the mice.
अन्यथा किल ते वाक्यमन्यथा कर्म दृश्यते। दम्भनार्थाय लोकस्य वेदाश्चोपशमश्च ते
Your words are one thing, but your actions are seen to be another; for the sake of deceiving people, you use the Vedas and self-restraint.
त्यक्त्वा छद्म त्विदं राजन्क्षत्रधर्मं समाश्रितः । कुरु कार्याणि सर्वाणि धर्मिष्ठोऽसि नरर्षभ
Abandon this disguise, O king, and take up the duty of a kshatriya; perform all your tasks, for you are righteous, O best of men.
बाहुवीर्येण पृथिवीं लब्ध्वा भरतसत्तम। देहि दानं द्विजातिभ्यः पितृभ्यश्चयथोचितम्
Having won the earth by the strength of your arms, O best of the Bharatas, give gifts to the twice-born and to the ancestors as is proper.
क्लिष्टाया वर्षपूगांश्च मातुर्मातृहिते स्थितः। प्रमार्जाश्रु रणे जित्वा संमानं परमावह
Having endured many years of hardship for your mother’s sake, wipe away her tears by conquering in battle and bring her the highest honor.
पञ्चग्रामा वृता यत्नात्रास्माभिरपवर्जिताः। युध्यामहे कथं सङ्ख्ये कोपयेम च पाण्डवान्
The five villages we earnestly requested have been refused by you; how then shall we fight in battle, and how shall we provoke the Pandavas?
त्वत्कृते दुष्टभावस्य संत्यागो विदुरस्य च। जातुषे च गृहे दाहं स्मर तं पुरुषो भव
Because of your wickedness, Vidura has departed; remember also the burning of the house of lac—be a true man.
यच्च कृष्णमवोचस्त्वमायान्तं कुरुसंसदि। अयमस्मि स्थितो राजञ्शमायसमराय च
And what you said to Krishna, as he entered the Kuru assembly: 'Here I stand, O King, ready for peace or war.'
तस्यायमागतः कालः समरस्य नराधिप। एतदर्थं मया सर्वं कृतमेतद्युधिष्ठिर
Now that very time has come for battle, O ruler of men; for this purpose, Yudhishthira, I have done all this.
किं नु युद्धात्परं लाभं क्षत्रियो बहु मन्यते। किंच त्वं क्षत्रियकुले जातः संप्रथितो भुवि
What greater gain than battle does a Kshatriya consider? And you, born in a Kshatriya line, are renowned on earth.
द्रोणादस्त्राणि संप्राप्य कृपाच्च भरतर्षभ । तुल्ययोनौ समबले वासुदेवं समाश्रितः
Having obtained weapons from Drona and Kripa, O bull of Bharata's race, with equal birth and equal strength, you have taken refuge with Vasudeva.