Shloka 2

लुब्धक-कपोत-कपोती-आख्यानम्

The Hunter and the Pigeon Couple: Expiation and Refuge-Ethics

Devanagari script

तस्य कल्यगता भार्या चरितुं नाभ्यवर्तत । प्राप्तां च रजनीं दृष्टवा स पक्षी पर्यतप्यत,उसकी पत्नी सबेरेसे ही चारा चुगनेके लिये गयी थी, जो लौटकर नहीं आयी। अब रात हुई देख वह कबूतर उसके लिये बहुत संतप्त होने लगा

Transliteration

tasya kalyagatā bhāryā carituṃ nābhyavartata | prāptāṃ ca rajanīṃ dṛṣṭvā sa pakṣī paryatapyata ||

Translation

అతని భార్య ఉదయమే ఆహారం వెదకుటకు బయలుదేరెను; కాని తిరిగి రాలేదు. రాత్రి పడినదని చూచి ఆ పక్షి ఆమె వియోగంతో తీవ్రంగా వ్యథపడెను.

Word by Word

तस्यof him / his

कल्यगताgone in the morning (having gone at dawn)

भार्याwife

चरितुम्to move about / to graze / to forage

नnot

अभ्यवर्ततreturned (came back)

प्राप्ताम्arrived / come

चand

रजनीम्night

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

सःhe

पक्षीbird

पर्यतप्यत्was distressed / grieved

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

the bird (pigeon/dove)

the bird's wife

night (rajanī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of relational responsibility: even a small creature is shown as deeply affected by the absence of its mate, preparing the listener to reflect on compassion, fidelity, and the duties that bind household life (gṛhastha-dharma).

What is happening in the narrative?

A bird’s wife has gone out at daybreak to gather food and has not returned. As night arrives, the bird becomes increasingly distressed, indicating fear for her safety and the pain of separation.