मूर्खकच्छप-कथा -- The Foolish Tortoise

MKP June 26, 2022

सुहृदां हितकामानां न करोतीह यो वचः ।

स कूर्म इव दुर्बुद्धिः काष्ठाद् भ्रष्टो विनश्यति ॥

अस्ति कस्मिश्चिज्जलाशये कम्बुग्रीवो नाम कच्छपः । तस्य च सङ्कटविकटनाम्नी मित्रे हंसजातीये परमस्नेहकोटिमाश्रिते, नित्यमेव सरस्तीरमासाद्य तेन सहानेकदेवर्षिमहर्षीणां कथाः कृत्वास्तमनवेलायां स्वनीडसंश्रयं कुरुतः ।

अथ गच्छता कालेनानावृष्टिवशात्सरः शनैः शनैः शोषमगमत् । ततस्तद् दुःखदुखितौ तावूचतु -- "भो मित्र! जम्बालशेषमेतत्सरः सञ्जातं, तत्कथं भवान्भविष्यतीति व्या कुलत्वं नो हृदि वर्तते ।"

तच्छ्रुत्वा कम्बुग्रीव आह -- "भो ! साम्प्रतं नास्त्यस्माकं जीवितव्यं जलाभावात् । तथाप्युपायश्चिन्त्यतामिति । उक्तञ्च" --

त्याज्यं न धैर्यं विधुरेऽअपि काले, धैर्यात्कदाचित्स्थितिमाप्नुयात्सः ।

जाते समुद्रेऽपि च पोतभङ्गे, सांयात्रिको वाञ्छति तर्त्तुमेव ॥

"अपरञ्च" --

मित्रार्थे बान्धवार्थे च बुद्धिमान् यतते सदा ।

जातास्वापत्सु यत्नेन जगादेदं वचो मनुः ॥

तदानीयतां काचिद् दृढरज्जुर्लघुकाष्ठं वा । अन्विष्यतां च प्रभूतजलसनाथं सरः, येन मया मध्यप्रदेशे दन्तैर्गृहीते सति युवां कोटिभागयोस्तत्काष्ठं मया सहितं संगृह्य तत्सरो नयथः ।

तावूचतु :-- "भो मित्र! एवं करिष्यावः । परं भवता मौनव्रतेन स्थातव्यम्, नो चेत्तव काष्ठात्पातो भविष्यति । तथानुष्ठिते, गच्छता कम्बुग्रीवेणाधोभागे व्यवस्थितं कि़ञ्चित्पुरमालोकितम् । तत्र ये पौरास्ते तथा नीयमानं विलोक्य, सविस्मयमिदमूचुः - "अहो, चक्राकारं किमपि पक्षिभ्यां नीयते, पश्यत! पश्यत!" ।

अथ तेषां कोलाहलमाकर्ण्य कम्बुग्रीव आह -- "भोः किमेष कोलाहलः?" इति वक्तमना अर्धोक्त एव पतितः, पौरैः खण्डशः कृतश्च ।--

"The person who does not heed his well-wishers and friends, owing to his foolishness, meets the same destruction as the stupid tortoise who fell from the stick and died."

In a lake there lived a tortoise named Kambugreeva. Two swans, named Sankat and Vikat were his very close friends. Everyday the three would sit by the lake and talk about various devarshi, maharshi and so on, and when the sun set they would return to their homes.

After some days, because of lack of rain, the lake slowly started to dry up. The tortoise was very sad and worried. Seeing him the swans said "Friend! This lake has dried up. Now only swampy mud remains. Without water how shall we live? This thought is worrying us."

On hearing the swans, the tortoise said - "Now, due to the lack of water, my survival is not possible. Yet, you two should think about saving me. It is said that" -

"In bad times, one should not abandon patience.

It is quite possible that with patience one can

be delivered from the calamity. When the boat

breaks in the middle of the sea, its owner does

not leave patience and hope. On the contrary, he

thinks of ways to reach the shore."

"In addition, Manu has said" -

"During bad times an intelligent man should make

efforts to save his kith and kin from the calamity.

Through sincere efforts, it is possible to keep

away trouble."

"You can get a strong rope or a small piece of stick. Search another lake that has plenty of water. I will hold the middle of rope or stick with my teeth, and you can hold the two ends and fly, taking me to the other lake."

The swans heard what Kambugreeva had to say. They said, "Friend we will do as you have said. But, in this situation you will have to be silent. If you are not silent you will fall from the stick."

After making the necessary arrangements, the swans were flying and Kambugreeva could see the town below. The people in the town were astonished and were shouting, "see! see! the birds are taking a circular thing and flying."

On hearing the people's din below, Kambugreeva said, "Friends! what is this noise ?" Even before he could complete that, he fell from the sky and the people cut him to pieces.