स्वार्थी शृगालः

A panchatantra story illustrating the use of combining basic verbs to create paragraphs in simple present tense. There are 36 verbs which are commonly used in the Sanskrit language. They are demonstrated here. Along with them, the use of time and days of the week are also shown in this simple story.

कश्चन बकः अस्ति | सः आपणे एकेन शृगालेन मिलति | सः बकस्य मित्रं भवति | शृगालः बकं आह्वयति “भानुवासरे द्वादशवादने मम गृहं आगच्छतु” इति | बकः चिन्तयति “अहं तत्र भोजनं करोमि” इति | बकः वदति “अहं आगच्छामि” इति | तदा शृगाल: गृहं गच्छति |  

There is a crane. He meets a fox at a shop. The fox becomes crane’s friend. The fox invites the crane, “Please come to my house on Sunday at 12.00 pm.” The crane thinks “I am going to eat food there.” The crane says “I am coming.” Then the fox goes home. 

रविवासरः भवति | बकः शृगालार्थं पुष्पं दातुं इच्छति अतः तत् क्रीणाति | बकः सरोवरे वसति | शृगालस्य गृहं वने गुहायाम् अस्ति | कियत् दूरं इति सः न जानाति | बकः षड्वादने एव उत्तिष्ठति |  स्नानं करोति चञ्चुं प्रक्षालयति च | एकादशवादनं भवति | अनन्तरं सः शृगालस्य गृहं प्रति गच्छति |

It is Sunday. The crane desires to give a flower to the fox. Hence he buys it. The crane lives in a lake. The fox’s house is in a forest in a cave. How far it is the crane doesn’t know. The crane gets up at 6.00. He showers and washes his beak. It is now 11.00. Then, he goes towards the fox’s house. 

शृगालः बकं पश्यति द्वारम् उद्घाटयति च | बकः गृहस्य अन्तः प्रविशति पुष्पं ददाति च | यदा बकः आसन्दे उपविशति तदा शृगालः सम्यक् गीतं गायति | बकः शृणोति च | बकः शृगालेन सह कञ्चित् कालं क्रीडति | एकवादनं भवति | शृगालः उत्पीठिकायां स्थालिकां स्थापयति | स्थालिकायाः बकः कथं खादति? सः विचारमूढ: | शृगालस्य स्वभावः स्वार्थी | सः अन्येषां अनुकूलतां न चिन्तयति | 

The fox sees the crane and opens the door. The crane enters the house and gives the flower. When the crane sits on a chair the fox sings a beautiful song. The crane listens. The crane plays with the fox for some time. It is now 1.00 pm. The fox keeps the plate on the dining table. How can a crane eat from a plate? He is irrational. The fox has a selfish nature. He doesn’t think of others. 

खादनात् पूर्वं बकः देवं स्मरति | यदा बकः स्थालिकाया: भोजनं स्वीकरोति तदा तस्य मुखात् सर्वं अधः पतति | अन्नं खादितुं न शक्नोति यतः तस्य चञ्चुः दीर्घा अस्ति | अतः भोजनं त्यजति | केवलं जलं पिबति | कुपितः बकः मनसि शृगालं निन्दति परन्तु किमपि न वदति | शृगालः तु सम्यक् आकण्ठं खादति | तस्य उदरं पूरयति च | दुष्टः च सः बकस्य भोजनं अपि खादति | 

Before eating the crane remembers the Lord. When the crane takes food from the plate then everything falls from his mouth. It is not possible to eat the food because he has a long beak. Therefore he discards the food and only drinks water. The angry crane scolds the fox in his mind but doesn’t say anything. However, the fox eats really well up to his throat. His tummy is full. The fox is so wicked that he also eats the crane’s food. 

बकः सूचयति इदानीं मम गृहं आगमने शृगालस्य पर्यायः इति | तं गृहं  बुधवासरे पञ्चवादने आह्वयति | स्वार्थी शृगालः बकस्य क्रोधं न जानाति | बुधवासरे शृगालः उत्तिष्ठति पञ्चाङ्गं लिखति च | पश्चात् बकस्य गृहं गच्छति | तत्र बकः एकं कुम्भं स्थापयति | अन्यं कुम्भं अपि शृगालार्थं स्थापयति | तस्मिन् कुम्भे सः पायसं पूरयति | शृगालः कुम्भं गृह्णाति | पायसस्य पानस्य प्रयत्नं करोति | परन्तु न शक्नोति | कुम्भस्य कण्ठः दीर्घ: | परन्तु शृगालस्य मुखं लघु अस्ति | सः कथं पिबति ? शृगालः कोपेन पायसं त्यजति | बहिः गच्छति रोदिति च | 

The crane suggests that now it is the foxes turn to come home. He invites the fox to his house  on Wednesday at 5.00. The selfish fox doesn’t understand the crane’s anger. On Wednesday he wakes up and writes his panchangam. Afterwards, he goes to the crane’s house. There the crane places a pitcher. He places one more for the fox. In it he fills it up with payasam. The fox holds the pitcher. He tries to drink it but is unable to. The pitcher’s neck is long. The fox’s nose is short. How can he drink? The fox out of anger discards the payasam. He goes out and cries.