Shloka 28
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
स तमुन्माथमारुह्मु तदामिषमभक्षयत्,उस वनमें विश्वस्त होकर विचरते तथा आहारकी खोज करते हुए उस चूहेने बहुत देरके बाद वह माँस देखा, जो जालपर बिखेरा गया था। चूहा उस जालपर चढ़कर उस मांसको खाने लगा
sa tam unmātham āruhya tadāmiṣam abhakṣayat | sa vane viśvastaḥ vicarann āhārasya khojaṃ kurvan bahu-dīrghena kālena paśyāt tat māṃsaṃ yājāle vikīrṇam āsīt | mūṣakaḥ tasmin jāle āruhya tat māṃsaṃ bhoktum ārabdhavān |
Climbing onto the trap, it ate the baited meat.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire for immediate gratification can blind one to hidden danger; dharma here emphasizes vigilance, restraint, and not trusting appearances—especially when a tempting gain is offered.
A mouse, wandering in the forest in search of food, finds meat placed on a trap. Feeling safe and driven by hunger, it climbs onto the trap and begins to eat the bait, setting up the moral point about snares concealed beneath attractive offerings.