Shloka 23
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
उपगम्य तु ते सर्वे बिडालमिदमन्लरुवन् भवत्प्रसादादिच्छामश्चर्तु चैव यथासुखम्
upagamya tu te sarve biḍālam idam anvabravan— bhavatprasādād icchāmaś carituṃ caiva yathāsukham |
如此思量后，它们都走近那猫，说道：“外舅啊！蒙你恩泽，我们愿得安乐无忧地往来行走。你是我们无畏的归依，也是我们至上的善友。我们众鼠同心而来，求你庇护。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how flattering speech and appeals to kinship can be used to secure protection—raising an ethical warning about misplaced trust and the need for discernment (viveka) when choosing one’s refuge.
A group collectively approaches a cat and addresses it respectfully as ‘maternal uncle,’ declaring it their fearless shelter and well-wisher, and asking to live and move about comfortably under its protection.