Shloka 42

Devanagari script

उनके मनमें दुष्टता भरी थी। वे सियारके पास मित्रभावसे आते और उसे समझा- बुझाकर प्रसन्न करके अपने ही समान दोषके पथपर चलानेकी चेष्टा करते थे ।। अन्यथा शक पूर्व परद्रव्याभिहारिण: । अशक्ता: किजि | द्रव्यं गोमायुयन्त्रिता:,उसके आनेके पहले वे और ही प्रकारसे रहा करते थे। दूसरोंका धन हड़प लिया करते थे, परंतु अब वैसा नहीं कर सकते थे। सियारने उन सबपर ऐसी कड़ी पाबंदी लगा दी थी कि वे किसीकी कोई भी वस्तु लेनेमें असमर्थ हो गये थे

Transliteration

teṣāṁ manasi duṣṭatā pūrṇā āsīt | te gomāyuṁ prati mitrabhāvena samāgacchanti sma, taṁ samyak bodhayitvā prasādayitvā ca svadoṣamārge svavat pravartayituṁ ceṣṭante sma || pūrvaṁ tu te paradravyābhihāriṇaḥ āsan | idānīṁ tu tathā kartum aśaktāḥ | gomāyunā teṣāṁ sarveṣāṁ prati dṛḍhaniyamo nidhāpitah, tena te kasyacid api vastuno grahaṇe’pi samarthā na babhūvuḥ ||

Translation

Their hearts were filled with malice. Approaching the jackal with a show of friendship, they tried to win him over—cajoling and pleasing him—so that he might be led onto the same path of wrongdoing as themselves. Formerly they used to seize other people’s property, but now they were unable to do so. The jackal had imposed such strict restraint upon them that they became incapable of taking even the smallest thing belonging to anyone.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'duṣṭatā', 'definition': 'wickedness, malice, corrupt intent'}, {'term': 'mitrabhāva', 'definition': 'attitude of friendship

• feigned friendliness'}, {'term': 'gomāyu', 'definition': 'jackal'}, {'term': 'bodhayitvā', 'definition': 'having instructed, having persuaded'}, {'term': 'prasādayitvā', 'definition': 'having pleased, having won over'}, {'term': 'doṣa-mārga', 'definition': 'path of fault/sin

• way of wrongdoing'}, {'term': 'paradravya', 'definition': 'another’s property'}, {'term': 'abhihārin', 'definition': 'one who carries off/steals

• plunderer'}, {'term': 'aśakta', 'definition': 'unable, powerless'}, {'term': 'niyama', 'definition': 'restraint, rule, strict regulation'}]

Speaker

शार्टूल उवाच

Characters & Entities

• शार्टूल (Śārṭūla)
• गोमायु (jackal)
• दुष्ट (wicked companions/plunderers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Those driven by malice often disguise themselves as friends to recruit others into wrongdoing; true ethical strength is shown by restraint (niyama) that prevents harm to others, especially the taking of another’s property.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of formerly thieving characters approach the jackal in a friendly manner, trying to persuade him to join their corrupt ways; however, the jackal has already enforced strict discipline, making them unable to steal as they once did.