Shloka 34

Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

ततः प्राज्ञतम: कश्चिड्डिण्डिको नाम मूषिक: । अब्रवीद्‌ वचनं राजन्‌ मूषिकाणां महागणम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ prājñatamaḥ kaścid ḍiṇḍiko nāma mūṣikaḥ | abravīd vacanaṃ rājan mūṣikāṇāṃ mahāgaṇam |

Translation

ତାପରେ ମୂଷିକମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଡିଣ୍ଡିକ ନାମକ ଜଣେ ମୂଷିକ ସର୍ବାଧିକ ପ୍ରାଜ୍ଞ ଥିଲା। ହେ ରାଜନ, ସେ ମୂଷିକମାନଙ୍କ ସେଇ ମହାଗଣକୁ ଏପରି କହିଲା—

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• प्राज्ञतमः: most wise
• प्राज्ञतमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular (superlative)

• कश्चित्: a certain (one)
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular (indefinite)

• डिण्डिकः: Dindika (name)
• डिण्डिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: डिण्डिक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular (proper name)

• नाम: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम
• Form: indeclinable

• मूषिकः: a mouse
• मूषिकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषिक
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• मूषिकाणाम्: of the mice
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूषिक
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• महागणम्: the great multitude/group
• महागणम्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महागण
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• राजन् (the King—addressed)
• डिण्डिक (Ḍiṇḍika)
• मूषिक (mice; the assembly)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Wisdom within a community should translate into timely counsel: the most discerning person steps forward to guide collective action, emphasizing coordination and foresight rather than impulsive, scattered movement.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya introduces a fable-like episode: a very wise mouse named Ḍiṇḍika addresses a large assembly of mice, beginning a speech that will direct their next course of action.