Shloka 86

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

तथैव तौ सुसंत्रस्तौ दृढमागततन्द्रितौ । दृष्टवा तयो: परां प्रीतिं विस्मयं परमं गतौ,उन दोनोंको बड़े जोरसे औंघाई आ रही थी और वे अत्यन्त भयभीत भी हो गये थे। उस समय चूहे और बिलावका वह विशेष प्रेम देखकर नेवला और उल्लू दोनोंको बड़ा आश्चर्य हुआ

Transliteration

tathaiva tau susaṁtrastau dṛḍham āgatatandritau | dṛṣṭvā tayoḥ parāṁ prītiṁ vismayaṁ paramaṁ gatau ||

Translation

Demikian juga, kedua-duanya sangat ketakutan, dan rasa mengantuk yang berat menimpa mereka. Melihat kasih mesra yang luar biasa antara kucing dan tikus itu, musang luwak dan burung hantu pun tercengang-cengang.

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

तौthose two (he/they two)

सु-संत्रस्तौvery frightened

दृढम्firmly, strongly

आगत-तन्द्रितौovercome by drowsiness (with drowsiness come upon them)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

तयोःof those two

पराम्supreme, great

प्रीतिम्affection, love, delight

विस्मयम्wonder, astonishment

परमम्greatest, extreme

गतौhaving gone/come to; having reached (a state)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

mūṣaka (mouse)

mārjāra (cat)

nakula (mongoose)

ulūka (owl)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary concord between natural enemies can appear, prompting reflection on nīti: alliances may arise from circumstance, fear, or higher prudence, and one should judge conduct by observed reality rather than fixed assumptions about enmity.

What is happening in the narrative?

The mouse and the cat are both overwhelmed—frightened and drowsy—while the mongoose and the owl witness their unusual mutual affection and are amazed at this unexpected friendship between traditional foes.