Shloka 33
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
ततस्ते मूषिका: सर्वे समेत्यान्यो<न्यमन्रुवन् । मातुलो वर्धते नित्यं वयं क्षीयामहे भूशम्,“तब वे चूहे परस्पर मिलकर एक-दूसरेसे कहने लगे--'क्यों जी! क्या कारण है कि मामा तो नित्य मोटा-ताजा होता जा रहा है और हमारी संख्या बड़े वेगसे घटती चली जा रही है!
tataste mūṣikāḥ sarve sametyānyonyam anruvan | mātulo vardhate nityaṁ vayaṁ kṣīyāmahe bhūśam ||
Sañjaya said: Then all the mice gathered together and spoke to one another: “Our maternal uncle grows plump day by day, while we are steadily dwindling away in great measure.” The line conveys moral unease at unequal gain and collective loss, prompting inquiry into hidden exploitation or danger within the community.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When one party prospers while the many decline, it signals an underlying cause—often hidden exploitation or danger—so a community should investigate rather than accept the imbalance as normal.
The mice assemble and discuss an alarming pattern: their ‘maternal uncle’ is becoming fatter every day, while their own numbers are rapidly decreasing, implying that something is wrong and prompting collective concern.