Even then, O king, he could not give up hopes of life. Still, the man expected to live. A number of black and white rates were eating away the roots of that tree.
न चास्य जीविते राजन् निर्वेदः समजायत॥ जीविताशा प्रतिष्ठिता। कृष्णाः श्वेताश्च तं वृक्षं कुट्टयन्ति च मूषिकाः॥