Shloka 67

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

ततस्तीक्ष्णाग्रदशनो मणिवैदूर्यलोचन: । मूषिकं मन्दमुद्वीक्ष्य मार्जारो लोमशोडब्रवीत्‌,तदनन्तर जिसके आगेके दाँत बड़े तीखे थे और दोनों नेत्र नीलमके समान चमक रहे थे, उस लोमश नामक बिलावने चूहेकी ओर किंचिद्‌ दृष्टिपात करके इस प्रकार कहा --

Transliteration

tatas tīkṣṇāgradāśano maṇivaidūryalocanaḥ | mūṣikaṃ mandam udvīkṣya mārjāro lomaśo 'bravīt ||

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം മൂർച്ചയുള്ള മുൻപല്ലുകളും വൈദൂര്യമണിപോലെ തിളങ്ങുന്ന കണ്ണുകളും ഉള്ള ലോമശൻ എന്ന പൂച്ച എലിയെ മന്ദമായി നോക്കി ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तीक्ष्णाग्रदशनःhaving sharp-pointed teeth

मणिवैदूर्यलोचनःwhose eyes are like vaidūrya-gems (cat's-eye)

मूषिकम्the mouse

मन्दम्slow, timid (one)

उद्वीक्ष्यhaving looked at, after observing

मार्जारःthe cat

लोमशःLomaśa (name), the hairy one

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Lomaśa (the cat)

mūṣika (the mouse)

vaidūrya-maṇi (vaidūrya gem)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse prepares an ethical lesson about discernment: impressive appearance, gentle speech, or a show of restraint may hide harmful intent; therefore one should evaluate character through consistent behavior and motives rather than surface signs.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma narrates a fable-like episode: a cat named Lomaśa, described with sharp teeth and gem-like eyes, looks deliberately at a mouse and begins to speak—introducing a dialogue that will test trust, fear, and moral judgment.