The lion and the boar

Historically, both the lion and the boar have been used across South Asia as symbols of power and greatness. However, when the two are juxtaposed in allegorical writings, (needless to say) the former is always portrayed as superior. Here is an amusing execution of this trope.

The context of this two-verse piece titled siMhazUkarasaMvAda (सिंहशूकरसंवाद), "a conversation between a lion and a boar", is the following: A boar, roaming about in the wilderness, encounters a lion and, although fully aware of what the majestic feline is capable of doing to him, tries to bluff his way out. And he does manage to leave the scene unscathed, but not by dint of his wits.

Devanagari text:

शूकर उवाच

दश व्याघ्रा जिताः पूर्वं सप्त सिंहास्त्रयो गजाः|
पश्यन्तु देवताः सर्वा अद्य युद्धं त्वया मया*||
variant: *मम

सिंह उवाच

गच्छ शूकर भद्रं ते ब्रूहि सिंहो मया जितः|
पण्डिता एव जानन्ति सिंहशूकरयोर्बलम्||

Harvard-Kyoto transliteration:

zUkara uvAca

daza vyAghrA jitAH pUrvaM sapta siMhAstrayo gajAH|
pazyantu devatAH sarvA adya yuddhaM tvayA mayA||

siMha uvAca

gaccha zUkara bhadraM te brUhi siMho mayA jitaH|
paNDitA eva jAnanti siMhazUkarayorbalam||

Loose translation: 
Boar: "I have already beaten ten tigers, seven lions, and three elephants! Let all the gods witness^{[see notes]} the fight between you and me today!"

Lion: "You may leave, Boar! I wish you all the best! And feel free to announce that you have defeated the Lion. For the wise are already aware of the relative strengths of a lion and a boar!"

Source: Verses 11-12 of a small collection of epigrams, entitled Nitisara (नीतिसार), "the best of moral precepts", and attributed to the enigmatic Ghatakarpara (घटकर्पर); published by both Jibananda Vidyasagara and Purnachandra De Udbhatasagara.

Notes: A device often employed by Indic authors to glorify an earthly battle is to devote a few lines to celestials crowding the air above the field (invisible to mere mortals, of course) for a ringside view of great acts of heroism, occasionally felicitating select warriors with floral showers and peals of heavenly kettle-drums.