Hitopdesh • Chapter 5 • Shloka 64
काको ब्रूते -- नासौ स्वामिना व्यापादयितव्यः ।
किंत्वस्माभिरेव तथा कर्तव्यं यथासौ स्वदेहदानमङ्गीकरोति ।
सिंहस्तच्छ्रुत्वा तूष्णीं स्थितः । ततोऽसौ लब्धावकाशः कूटं कृत्वा
सर्वानादाय सिंहान्तिकं गतः । अथ काकेनोक्तं --
देव यत्नादप्याहारो न प्राप्तः । अनेकोपवासखिन्नः स्वामी ।
तद् इदानीं मदीयमांसमुपभुज्यताम् । यतः ।
स्वामिमूला भवन्त्येव सर्वाः प्रकृतयः खलु ।
समूलेषु हि वृक्षेषु प्रयत्नः सफलो नृणाम् ॥
The crow said your lordship need not kill him. But we shall so contrive it that he will consent to offer his own body. The lion, on hearing this, remained silent. Getting an opportunity thereby, the crow fabricated a plot and taking them all with him went up to the lion. Now the crow said - Lord, even after busy search we have found nothing to eat. While our lord is distressed by many fasts. So let him eat my flesh. For, all subjects have, indeed, the king for their root (chief support). If the trees have roots (then only) man's effort (to rear them) will be successful.
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