Shloka 13
Gratitude, Discernment, and the Escalation of Power (Śvā–Dvipī–Vyāghra–Nāga–Siṃha–Śarabha Itihāsa)
वह बारंबार अपने दोनों जबड़े चाटता और पूँछ फटकारता था, उसे प्यास सता रही थी। उसने मुँह फैला रखा था। भूखसे उसकी व्याकुलता बढ़ गयी थी और वह उस कुत्तेका मांस प्राप्त करना चाहता था ।।
sa bāraṃbāraṃ svau hanū lelihaḥ pucchaṃ ca praphālayann āsīt; tṛṣṇayā pīḍitaḥ sa mukham āyatīkṛtya sthitaḥ. kṣudhāyāḥ prabalatvāt tasya vyākulatā vardhitā; sa ca tasya śunaḥ māṃsaṃ prāptum aicchat. dṛṣṭvā taṃ krūraṃ vyāghram āyāntaṃ jīvitārthī narādhipa, provāca iva munis tatra tac chṛṇuṣva viśāṃpate—prajānātha nareśvara—tatra śunā yat proktam.
那凶兽一再舔舐双颚，甩动尾巴；口渴折磨着它，它张着大口。饥饿更添其躁动，它渴望得到那狗的肉。见那残暴的猛兽逼近，为求保命，那狗当场对圣仙开口。大王啊，请听那一刻狗所说的话。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse sets up an ethical episode where raw hunger and aggression confront the instinct to survive, framed as instruction to a king: even in peril, speech and discernment (addressing the sage) become the doorway to dharma rather than mere violence.
A starving, thirsty tiger approaches, intent on eating a dog. The dog, fearing for its life, turns to a nearby sage and speaks; Bhishma asks the king to listen to what the dog says next.