Shloka 106
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
तमेवंवादिन प्राज्ञ: शास्त्रबुद्धिसमन्वित: । उवाचेदं वच: श्रेष्ठ मार्जार मूषिकस्तदा
tam evaṁ-vādinaṁ prājñaḥ śāstra-buddhi-samanvitaḥ | uvācedaṁ vacaḥ śreṣṭha mārjāra-mūṣikas tadā ||
Ketika itu, tikus yang bijaksana—dengan akal yang ditempa oleh ajaran śāstra—menjawab kucing yang berkata demikian, lalu mengucapkan kata-kata yang mulia ini.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wisdom grounded in śāstra and nīti should guide one’s response to persuasive speech—especially when the speaker may be untrustworthy. The verse frames the mouse as discerning and ethically alert before replying.
In Bhīṣma’s discourse, a cat has spoken in a certain way; now the mouse, described as learned and prudent, responds with an ‘excellent’ statement, signaling a moralized dialogue between natural adversaries.