भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। निदर्शनं परं लोके सज्जनाचरिते सदा॥
Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the following ancient history. That history is considered as one of the greatest precedent amongst good and wisemen.
अस्यैवार्थस्य सदृशं यच्छ्रुतं मे तपोवने। जामदग्न्यस्य रामस्य यदुक्तमृषिसत्तमैः॥
That history is connected with the present subject. I heard it in the asylum of Rama the son of Jamadagni, recited by many foremost of Rishis.
वने महति कस्मिंश्चिदमनुष्यनिषेविते। ऋषिर्मूलफलाहारो नियतो नियतेन्द्रियः॥
In a certain large forest uninhabited by human beings, there lived an ascetic upon fruits and roots, practising rigid vows and with his senses under restraint.
दीक्षादमपरः शान्तः स्वाध्यायपरमः शुचिः। उपवासविशुद्धात्मा सततं सत्त्वमास्थितः॥
Observing strict regulations and selfrestraint, of great and pure soul, always making Vedic recitations, and of heart purified by facts, he treated all creatures with goodness.
तस्य संदृश्य सद्भावमुपविश्स्य धीमतः। सर्वे सत्त्वाः समीपस्था भवन्ति वनचारिणः॥
Highly intelligent, as he was, as he sat on his seat, the goodness of his conduct having been known to all the creatures that dwelt in that forest, they used to approach him with affection.
सिंहव्याघ्रगणाः क्रूरा मत्ताश्चैव महागजाः। द्वीपिनः खङ्गभल्लूका ये चान्ये भीमदर्शनाः॥ ते सुखप्रश्नदाः सर्वे भवन्ति क्षतजाशनाः। तस्यर्षे: शिष्यवच्चैव न्यग्भूताः प्रियकारिणः॥
Dreadful lions and tigers, infuriate elephants of huge body, leopards, rhinoceroses, bears, and other dreadful animals, living upon blood, used to come to the Rishi and question him politely. Indeed, all of them behaved towards him like disciples and slaves and always did what was agreeable to him.,
दत्त्वा च ते सुखप्रश्नं सर्वे यान्ति यथागतम्। ग्राम्यस्त्वेकः पशुस्तत्रनाजहात् स महामुनिम्॥
Coming to him they made enquiries, and then went away to their respective habitations. One domestic animal, however, resided there permanently, never, leaving the ascetic at any time.
भक्तोऽनुरक्तः सततमुपवासकृशोऽबलः। फलमूलोदकाहारः शान्तः शिष्टाकृतिर्यथा॥
He was greatly attached to the saint. Weak and emaciated with fasts, he lived upon fruits and roots and water, and was tranquil and of inoffensive character.
तस्यर्षेरुपविश्स्य पादमूले महामते। मनुष्यवद्गतो भावो स्नेहबद्धोऽभवद् भृशम्॥
Lying at the feet of that great Rishi as the latter sat, the dog, with a humane heart, become greatly attached to him for the affection with which he was treated.
ततोऽभ्ययान्महावीर्यो द्वीपी क्षतजभोजनः। स्वार्थमत्यन्तसंतुष्टः क्रूरकाल इवान्तकः॥
One day a very strong leopard came there, leaving upon blood. Of a cruel nature and always delighted at the prospect of prey, the dreadful animal looked like a second Yama.
लेलिह्यमानस्तृषितः पुच्छास्फोटनतत्परः। व्यादितास्यः क्षुधाभुग्नः प्रार्थयानस्तदामिषम्॥
Licking the corners of his mouth with the tongue, and lashing his tail furiously, the leopard came there, stricken with hunger and thirst, with wide open jaws, desirous of catching the dog as his prey.
दृष्ट्वा तं क्रूरमायान्तं जीवितार्थी नराधिप। प्रोवाच श्वा मुनिं तत्र तच्छृणुष्व विशाम्पते॥
Seeing that dreadful animal coming, O king, the dog, in fear of his life, spoke to the ascetic as follows. Listen to them, O king!-
श्वशत्रुर्भगवन्नेष द्वीपी मां हन्तुमिच्छति। त्वत्प्रसादाद् भयं न स्यादस्मान्मम महामुने॥ तथा कुरु महाबाहो सर्वज्ञस्त्वं न संशयः।
O Rishi, this leopard is an enemy of the dogs, It wishes to kill me. O great sage, do you so act that all my fears from this animal may be removed through your favour. O you of mighty arms, forsooth, you are omniscient.
स मुनिस्तस्य विज्ञाय भावज्ञो भयकारणम्। रुतज्ञः सर्वसत्त्वानां तमैश्वर्यसमन्वितः॥
Reading the thoughts of all creatures, the sage felt that the dog had sufficient cause for fear. Endued with the six attributes and capable of reading the voices of all animals, the sage said as follows.
मुनिरुवाच न भयं द्वीपीनः कार्यं मृत्युतस्ते कथंचन। एष श्वरूपरहितो द्वीपी भवसि पुत्रक॥
The sage said You shall have no fear of death from leopards any longer! Let your natural from disappear and be you a leopard, O son!
ततः श्वा द्वीपितां नीतो जाम्बूनदनिभाकृतिः। चित्राङ्गो विस्फुरदंष्ट्रो वने वसति निर्भयः॥
Thereat, the dog was metamorphosed into a leopard with skin bright as gold. With stripes on his body and with huge teeth, thenceforth he began to live in that forest fearlessly.
तं दृष्ट्वा सम्मुखे द्वीपी आत्मनः सदृशं पशुम्। अविरुद्धस्ततस्तस्य क्षणेन समपद्यत॥
Meanwhile, seeing before him an animal of his own species, the leopard, forthwith renounced all feelings of enmity towards it.
ततोऽभ्ययान्महारौद्रो व्यादितास्यः क्षुधान्वितः। द्वीपीनं लेलिहद्वको व्याघ्रो रुधिरलालसः॥
Sometime after, there came into that asylum a dreadful and hungry tiger with mouth wide open. Licking the corners of his mouth with the tongue, and eagerly desirous of drinking blood, that tiger began to approach the animal that had been metamorphosed into a leopard.
व्याघ्रं दृष्ट्वा क्षुधाभुग्नं दंष्ट्रिणं वनगोचरम्। द्वीपी जीवितरक्षार्थमृषिं शरणमेयिवान्॥
Seeing the hungry tiger of dreadful teeth approach that forest, the leopard sought the Rishi's protection for saving his life.
संवासजं परं स्नेहमृषिणा कुर्वता तदा। स द्वीपी व्याघ्रतां नीतो रिपूणां बलवत्तरः॥
The sage, who had great affection for the leopard for its living in the same place with him, immediately transformed his leopard into a tiger powerful for all enemies.
ततो दृष्ट्वा स शार्दूलो नाहनत् तं विशाम्पते। स तु श्वा व्याघ्रतां प्राप्य बलवान् पिशिताशनः॥ न मूलफलभोगेषु स्पृहामप्यकरोत् तदा।
The tiger seeing a beast of his own species did not injure him, O king. Having in course of time been metamorphosed into a powerful tiger living upon flesh and blood, the dog, abstained from his former food of fruits and roots.
यथा मृगपतिर्नित्यं प्रकाइक्षति वनौकसः। तथैव स महाराज व्याघ्रः समभवत् तदा॥
Indeed, from that time, O king, the transformed tiger lived, living upon the other animals of the forest, like a true king of beasts.