Shloka 190
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
तदेतद् धर्मतत्त्वज्ञ न त्वं शंकितुमहसि । अत: धर्मके तत्त्वको जाननेवाले पलित! तुम्हें मुझपर संदेह नहीं करना चाहिये ।। १८९ इ || इति संस्तूयमानो5पि माजरिण स मूषिक:
lomasa uvāca | tad etad dharmatattvajña na tvaṁ śaṅkitum arhasi | ataḥ dharmake tattvako jānanevāle palita! tvaṁ me mayi saṁdehaṁ na kartum arhasi || 189 || iti saṁstūyamāno 'pi mārjāriṇā sa mūṣikaḥ |
Lomaśa berkata: “Wahai yang mengetahui hakikat dharma, engkau tidak patut ragu tentang hal ini. Maka, wahai orang tua yang mulia, yang memahami inti kebenaran, janganlah engkau mensyaki aku.” Namun, walaupun dipuji demikian, tikus (dalam kisah itu) tetap berjaga-jaga terhadap si kucing.
लोमश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights ethical discernment: even when someone speaks in the language of dharma and seeks trust, one should not abandon prudent judgment. True dharma-knowledge includes knowing when confidence is warranted and when caution is necessary.
Lomaśa narrates a didactic episode in which a speaker urges a venerable, dharma-knowing person not to doubt him; yet the story immediately notes that the mouse, despite being praised by the cat, remains cautious—signaling the tension between persuasive words and underlying intent.