Shloka 26
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
“आप सदा धर्ममें तत्पर रहते हैं और धर्ममें ही आपकी निष्ठा है। महामते! जैसे वज्रधारी इन्द्र देवताओंकी रक्षा करते हैं, उसी प्रकार आप हमारा संरक्षण करें ।।
āpa sadā dharme tatpara rahate haiṃ aura dharmeṃ hī āpakī niṣṭhā hai | mahāmate! jaise vajradhārī indra devatāoṃ kī rakṣā karate haiṃ, usī prakāra āpa hamārā saṃrakṣaṇa kareṃ || evam uktas tu taiḥ sarvair mūṣikaiḥ sa viśāṃ pate | pratyuvāca tataḥ sarvān mūṣikān mūṣikāntakṛt | prajānātha! una sampūrṇa cūhoṃ ke dvārā isa prakāra kahe jāne para mūṣakoṃ ke liye yamarāja-svarūpa usa bilāva ne una sabako isa prakāra uttar diyā— “maiṃ tapasya bhī karūṃ aura tumhārī rakṣā bhī— in donoṃ kāryoṃ kā paraspara sambandha mujhe dikhāyī nahīṃ detā hai— ye donoṃ kāma eka sātha nahīṃ cala sakate | tathāpi mujhe tumalogoṃ ke hita kī bāta bhī avaśya karanī cāhiye”
群鼠哀求道：“你常奉持达摩，亦坚守于达摩。噢，智者啊，如执金刚雷霆的因陀罗护卫诸天一般，也请护佑我们。” 众鼠如此齐声陈情后，那众生之主——于鼠辈而言宛如阎罗之死神者，即灭鼠之猫——答曰：“我看不出这两种目的如何并行：一则修苦行，一则护卫你们。二事不可并进。然而，我仍当说出对你们有益之言。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights a tension between ideals and practical roles: one cannot always claim the posture of ascetic austerity (tapas) while simultaneously taking on active protective responsibility. It warns against incompatible vows and urges clarity about one’s true capacity and intent, even when speaking ‘for welfare’ (hita).
A group of mice praise a figure as dharma-minded and ask for protection, comparing him to Indra protecting the gods. The cat—ironically death-like to mice—responds that practicing austerity and protecting them are not mutually compatible tasks, though he will still speak about what is beneficial for them.