Shloka 83
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
भीष्म उवाच ग्राहयित्वा तु तं॑ स्वार्थ मार्जार मूषिकस्तथा । प्रविवेश तु विश्रभ्य क्रोडमस्य कृतागस:
bhīṣma uvāca: grāhayitvā tu taṁ svārthaṁ mārjāra-mūṣikas tathā | praviveśa tu viśrabdhya kroḍam asya kṛtāgasaḥ ||
ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର! ଏହିପରି ମୂଷିକଟି ମାର୍ଜାରକୁ ନିଜ ସ୍ୱାର୍ଥର କଥା ମାନିବାକୁ ବାଧ୍ୟ କଲା; ତା’ପରେ ସେଇ ଅପରାଧୀ ଶତ୍ରୁକୁ ଭରସା କରି, ନିର୍ଭୟ ହୋଇ ତାହାର କୋଳରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କରି ବସିଗଲା।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not let self-interest and clever persuasion replace discernment: trusting an acknowledged wrongdoer—especially an enemy—can turn apparent safety into immediate peril.
In Bhishma’s illustrative tale, the mouse gets the cat to accept a proposal that benefits the mouse; then, becoming overly confident, the mouse even sits in the cat’s lap—despite the cat being a culpable enemy—showing the danger of misplaced trust.