Critical Edition
भीष्म उवाच ततस्तं लुब्धकः पश्यन्कृपयाभिपरिप्लुतः कपोतमग्नौ पतितं वाक्यं पुनरुवाच ह
AI Translation: Bhishma said: Then the hunter, seeing him, overwhelmed with compassion, again spoke these words to the pigeon that had fallen into the fire.
किमीदृशं नृशंसेन मया कृतमबुद्धिना भविष्यति हि मे नित्यं पातकं हृदि जीवतः
AI Translation: What have I done, this cruel one, this foolish one? For as long as I live, this sin will always be in my heart.
स विनिन्दन्नथात्मानं पुनः पुनरुवाच ह धिङ्मामस्तु सुदुर्बुद्धिं सदा निकृतिनिश्चयम् शुभं कर्म परित्यज्य योऽहं शकुनिलुब्धकः
AI Translation: He, condemning himself again and again, said: "Fie on me, who am very foolish, always determined to be deceitful, Who, having abandoned good deeds, am a bird-hunter
नृशंसस्य ममाद्यायं प्रत्यादेशो न संशयः दत्तः स्वमांसं ददता कपोतेन महात्मना
M. N. Dutt: Alas, renouncing all sorts of honourable occupation, I have become a fowler! A cruel wretch that I am, forsooth, this noble pigeon, by sacrificing his own life, has taught me a great lesson.
सोऽहं त्यक्ष्ये प्रियान्प्राणान्पुत्रदारं विसृज्य च उपदिष्टो हि मे धर्मः कपोतेनातिधर्मिणा
M. N. Dutt: Renouncing wives and sons, I shall certainly cast off my very life which is so dear! The great pigeon has taught me that duty.
अद्य प्रभृति देहं स्वं सर्वभोगैर्विवर्जितम् यथा स्वल्पं जलं ग्रीष्मे शोषयिष्याम्यहं तथा
M. N. Dutt: From this day, denying every comfort to my body, I shall exhaust it like a shallow tank in summer.
क्षुत्पिपासातपसहः कृशो धमनिसंततः उपवासैर्बहुविधैश्चरिष्ये पारलौकिकम्
M. N. Dutt: Capable of bearing hunger, thirst, and penances, and being emaciated with veins visible all over, I shall by various sorts of fasts, practise such vows as will take me to the other world.
अहो देहप्रदानेन दर्शितातिथिपूजना तस्माद्धर्मं चरिष्यामि धर्मो हि परमा गतिः दृष्टो हि धर्मो धर्मिष्ठैर्यादृशो विहगोत्तमे
M. N. Dutt: Alas, by giving up his body the pigeon has shown how a guest should be adored! Taught by his example, I shall hereafter practise righteousness. Righteousness is the greatest refuge! Indeed, I shall practise the righteousness shown by the virtuous pigeon, that foremost of all winged creatures.
एवमुक्त्वा विनिश्चित्य रौद्रकर्मा स लुब्धकः महाप्रस्थानमाश्रित्य प्रययौ संशितव्रतः
M. N. Dutt: Having thus made up his mind and said these words, that fowler, once of dreadful deeds, started on a journey never to end, observing all the while the most rigid vows.
ततो यष्टिं शलाकाश्च क्षारकं पञ्जरं तथा तांश्च बद्धा कपोतान्स संप्रमुच्योत्ससर्ज ह
M. N. Dutt: He threw away his strong staff, his sharp iron-stick, his nets and springes, and his iron cage, and liberated the she-pigeon that he had caught and imprisoned.'