Shloka 33
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
ततस्ते मूषिका: सर्वे समेत्यान्यो<न्यमन्रुवन् । मातुलो वर्धते नित्यं वयं क्षीयामहे भूशम्,“तब वे चूहे परस्पर मिलकर एक-दूसरेसे कहने लगे--'क्यों जी! क्या कारण है कि मामा तो नित्य मोटा-ताजा होता जा रहा है और हमारी संख्या बड़े वेगसे घटती चली जा रही है!
tataste mūṣikāḥ sarve sametyānyonyam anruvan | mātulo vardhate nityaṁ vayaṁ kṣīyāmahe bhūśam ||
ततस्ते मूषिकाः सर्वे समेत्यान्योऽन्यमब्रुवन् । मातुलो वर्धते नित्यं वयं क्षीयामहे भृशम् ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When one party prospers while the many decline, it signals an underlying cause—often hidden exploitation or danger—so a community should investigate rather than accept the imbalance as normal.
The mice assemble and discuss an alarming pattern: their ‘maternal uncle’ is becoming fatter every day, while their own numbers are rapidly decreasing, implying that something is wrong and prompting collective concern.