The Panchatantra - Story 44

STORY NO. 44. BLIND REVENGE

There was in a certain well a frog King called Gangadatta. He was insulted by his relatives and managed slowly to climb out of the well by means of the rope of the machine

for raising water. He then thought to himself 'How can I revenge myself of these relatives? It has been said, "Only that man is blessed enough to be born again who takes vengeance upon him who has wronged him in times of adversity and him who rejoiced at his misfortunes".' While he was thinking thus, he saw a black serpent called Priyadarsana enter his hole. Seeing him, he thought, ' By taking this serpent into the well I shall destroy all my relatives root and branch. It has been said, "Destroy an enemy by using his enemy against him, send against a powerful man one even more powerful than he. In this way, no injury or grief will come to us. A wise man should for his own sake destroy his bitter and troublesome enemy by sending against him his bitter enemy even as a thorn is used to take out another thorn".' 

Having resolved thus, he went to the mouth of the hole and called out to the serpent, 'Come out, O Priyadarsana.' Hearing the call, the snake thought, 'This person who is calling me is certainly not of my race as he is not talking in the language of snakes. None except snakes will have any friendship with me in this world. So let me remain in this fortress hole and see first who this caller is. It has been said, "One should not mix with another without knowing his race, character, abode and strength. Who knows if it is not some angry snake- charmer or medicine man who wants to catch and confine me ? Or, it may be some man anxious to poison his enemy and thinking of cutting me to pieces or mixing them in his food.' Thinking thus, he cried out, 'Who are you? 

The frog replied, 'I am Gangadatta, the King of frogs, and have come to you for forming a friendship with you.' On hearing this, the serpent said, 'It is incredible. How can there be friendship between grass and the fire which burns it? He who is destined to be killed by another will never go near him even in a dream. So, what is the use of your babbling thus?' Gangadatta said, 'What yon say is true. You are indeed our natural enemy. But I have

come to you after having met with defeat and insult at the hands of my enemies. It has been said, "When everything one has is about to be lost and when one's life is in danger, the life and wealth should be protected even by calling in the enemy".' The serpent said, 'Tell me, who are your enemies?' The frog replied, *My relaties.' The serpent said, 'Where do you live, in a well or a pond, or a tank or a lake?.' The frog replied, 'In a well riveted with stones.' The serpent said, 'I am an animal without feet and creep on my belly. So I cannot come down this well. Even if I manage to do this, there is no place there for me to stay and kill your relatives. So go thy way. It has been said, "Only that should be eaten which is fit to be eaten and which, if eaten, can be digested. He who desires his welfare should eat only that which can be eaten without danger".

Gangadatta said, 'Oh, don't worry. Come along. I shall show you an easy way of entering the well. There is a beautiful hole near the water level. Remaining there, you can easily kill my relatives.' Hearing this, the serpent thought, 'I am now pretty old. Once in a way I succeed in catching a mouse. This enemy of his family is showing me how to lead a life of ease and comfort. So, going along with him, I shall eat up the frogs. Well has it been said, "He who is helpless and whose life is nearing its end should unhesitatingly choose a course which would ensure for him a comfortable livelihood attended with every happiness".' Thinking like this, he said to the frog, 'Oh, Gangadatta, if that be so, walk in front, and 1 shall follow.' Gangadatta said, 'Oh priyadarsana, I shall show you an easy way to the well and also a good spot to abide there. But you ought to leave my own family and servants alone. You are to eat only those frogs whom I point out to you.' 

The serpent said, 'Now that you have become my friend, I treat you and yours veritably like myself I shall eat only such relatives as you show me.' So saying, he came out of his hole, embraced the frog, and started with him for the well. The frog led the serpent into the well by means of the rope of the water machine and securely established him in the

cozy hole on the edge of the water. Then he showed him his relatives. The serpent ate up the relatives gradually. When they were all eaten up, he said to Gangadatta, 'Friend, all your enemies have been killed and eaten. So kindly give me something to eat as you led me to this place.' The frog replied, 'Friend, you have finished your friendly act and rid me of my enemies. So, now, kindly climb up the rope of the water machine and leave this place.' 

The serpent replied, 'Oh, Gangadatta, your words are not proper. How can I go back to my former hole ? Some other snake must have occupied it long ago. So I shall continue to remain here. Give me every day one frog from your own people. Else, I shall swallow the whole lot now alone.' Hearing this, Gangadatta, grown very sad, thought to himself, 'What a folly have I committed in bringing this serpent here. If I refuse to comply with his demand now, he will eat us all up and extinguish my race. Well has it been said, "He who makes a superior enemy his friend verily drinks poison which will bring about his end."So I shall give him every day one of my own people. It has been said "Wise men satisfy by means of a small gift an enemy who is able to take away everything just as the sea satisfies the submarine fire(There is a popular Hindu belief that there is an unquenchable submarine fire out in the vast deeps of the ocean). 

The weak man who refuses to part with a grain of flour when demanded by a powerful enemy will eventually have to part with a ton of it. A wise man is ready to sacrifice a half when the whole is threatened with destruction. His immediate wants may be met by the

remaining half whereas nothing can be done if the whole is lost''.' Resolving thus, he used to point out one of his people every day. The serpent used to eat him, and then, in Gangadatta's absence,' used to eat some others also. It has been said well, 'Just as a man with dirty clothes will sit anywhere he pleases and does not care about his clothes being further soiled, so too a person who has fallen off from virtue will adopt any immoral course and will not care to protect his character from further soiling.' One day, after eating other frogs, the serpent ate also Prithudatta, son of Gangadatta. Learning about this, Gangadatta continued to scream loudly and to say, ' Fie ! Fie!', His wife then told him, 'Why are you crying piteously, oh, you hard-hearted one, you who have brought about the ruin of your race? Your race destroyed! who will protect you, oh fool ? So, think out some means of going out of this slaughter house or of killing this cruel serpent.' 

In course of time, all the frogs except Gangadatta were swallowed by the snake; Gangadatta alone remained. Then Priyadarsana told him, 'Oh Gangadatta, I am hungry. All the frogs have been killed. So, give me some food or other as you have led me to this place.' The frog replied, Oh friend, so long as I live you need not have any anxiety regarding yourself. If you allow me to go to some other pond or well, I shall somehow persuade the frogs there to migrate here, end you will again have plenty of food.' The serpent replied, 'You are like a brother to me and cannot therefore be eaten by me. If you do as you say now, you will become like a father unto me. So do as you propose.' 

The frog then got up the rope of the water machine. Making several vows to various gods if he climbed up in safety, he finally managed to do this. He went to another well and joined the frogs there. Priyadarsana waited in the old well for some time awaiting the promised speedy return of Gangadatta. Not seeing him return for long, he told a lizard dwelling in another hole in the same well 'Oh, friend render me a little service. Am I not

your old acquaintance? Kindly go out and seek the well or pond where my friend, the frog Gangadatta, is and take him. this my message, "Come quickly back alone if other frogs will not come with you. I cannot live without you. I pledge myself not to do you any injury whatever. If I ever do any evil to you, may all my accumulated merits be transferred to you.' The lizard soon found out Gangadatta and said, 'Friend, Gangadatta, your friend Priyadarsana is eagerly awaiting your return. So, return, to him quick. He also pledged himself not to do you any injury on pain of all his accumulated merits being transferred to you.' Hearing this, Gangadatta said, 'A hungry man will commit any sin, a weak man will be without mercy. Go, friend and tell Priyadarsana that Gangadatta will never return to that well.' So saying, he sent the lizard away and plunged merrily in the cool and secure waters of his new well. 

The Panchatantra - Story 43

STORY NO. 43. THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE

[This is the beginning of Part-4 of Panchatantra, also called 'Labdhapranasa' or 'The Loss of gains'.]

"What is gained is often lost by folly. The monkey tricked the crocodile into giving up what he had got", said Vishnu sarman, "Tell us that story" said the princes. Then he narrated it. 

On the banks of a deep lagoon near the seashore, there was a mighty jambu tree(The rose-apple tree) with loads of luscious fruits. The monkey Raktamukha(Red-face) lived on its branches. A crocodile called Karalamukha(Terrible-face) lived in the lagoon. One day, he swam ashore and basked in the sun on the fine sandbank near the jambu tree.

Raktamukha said to him, "You are my guest. So eat the nectar-like jambu fruits I give you. It is said that he who arrives at the end of the Vaisvadeva sacrifice(The offering to all the deities made by presenting oblations to fire before meals - As soon as this is finished, the meals begin. So the meaning is 'he who arrives at meantime') and is fed as a guest wins for us heaven whether he is a friend or foe, learned or unlearned. Manu(The great Hindu law-giver) has said that he who comes at the end of the Vaisvadeva sacrifice should never be asked his Vedic school or clan or his branch of learning or his family but honoured as a guest and fed sumptuously. He who honours a guest come at the end of a Vaisvadeva sacrifice tired by the fatigues of a long journey attains the highest salvation. If you turn away guests, or treat them in such a way they they never return, the gods and the fathers will turn away from you."So saying, he gave him the jambu fruits. The crocodile ate the fruits, had a ling friendly chat with the monkey and then returned to his own abode. 

Thereafter, the crocodile and the monkey used to meet daily under the shade of the jambu tree and pass their time merrily in discussions regarding various sciences. One day, the crocodile had a large quantity of fruits left after he had eaten his fill. He took them home and gave them to his wife. She relished them immensely and asked him, 'Darling, how did you get these nectar-like fruits?' He said. 'Beloved, I have got a dear monkey friend called Raktamukha. He gives me these fruits daily out of love for me.' She said, 'By living on these nectar-like fruits always, his heart must have become full of nectar and most delicious to eat. If you at all care for me, your beloved wife, you must bring me his heart. Eating that(Persons tasting of nectar will be free from old age and death), I shall be free from old age and death and shall be able to enjoy every kind of pleasure with you. 

He replied, 'Love, don't say so. He has become like a brother unto me. Besides, I am not able to kill him. So, cast off this useless desire. It has been said that the best relationship is that of friendship generated by conversation, and that birth from a common mother's womb is only second to that, friends being considered even superior to brothers of the whole blood.' His wife said, 'You have never gone against my wishes till now. So it is certain that the monkey who gives you these fruits is not a male but a female and that you are in love with her. That is why you spend your whole day there. I have understood everything now. You do not talk sweet words to me now nor do you yearn for me. Your behaviour towards me has become cold. At night when you ought to be as hot as the flames of fire, you are cold and indifferent.

You are not fervent when you embrace or kiss me. O rogue, is it not clear from all this

that you have enshrined in your heart some woman other than myself?' The crocodile fell at his wife's feet and said in piteous tones in order to appease her terrible anger, 'What other person, oh beautiful one, will try to pacify your anger except me wholly overcome by a passionate love for you? I am your servant and implore you by falling at your feet not to be angry.' She said with tears streaming down her cheeks, 'That woman is always in your mind and is regarded by you as charming on account of her feigned affection for you. O rogue, you are having a thousand desires in common with her, and I have no place at all in your heart. So, cease this mockery of falling down prostrate at my feet. Besides, if she were hot your keep,, why are you not willing to kill her when I ask you to do so ? Does not all this prove that you are head over ears in love with that monkey woman ? Why waste words?

Know it for certain that unless I am given that monkey's heart to eat, I shall starve myself to death.' The crocodile, on hearing the resolve of his wife, became full of anxiety. He said to himself, 'Well have the wise men said "Vajra gum(A most powerful gum), a fool, a woman, a crab, a fish, a drunkard, and indigo never leave a man till they have accomplished what they desire. Their grip is one and unceasing."Now, what shall I do ? How is it possible for me to kill that monkey?' 

Thinking thus, he went to the monkey. The monkey, seeing him come late and dejected, said, 'Friend, why is it that you come only at this very late hour? Why do you not talk merrily and quote your usual pithy sayings? Why are you plunged in gloom ?' The crocodile said, 'Friend, my wife, your sister-in-law, spoke very harshly to me thus: "Oh ungrateful wretch, are you not ashamed to show your face before me ? You have been daily receiving gifts of fruits from that monkey and yet have not done him any obligation in return till now. Yon have not even so much as asked him to our house. There is no atonement for this sin of ingratitude on your part. The murderer of a Brahmin, the person who drinks liquor, the thief, and the man who has broken his vow, have all expiatory ceremonies prescribed for them by the virtuous for washing away their sins. But no such expiatory ceremony has been prescribed for the sin of ingratitude. So bring the monkey, my brother-in-law, to our house to-day without fail so that we may return our obligation in part. If you do not do so, I shall commit suicide and meet you in the next world only."

Being talked to by her in this strain, I have come to you. Owing to these disputes, I could not come earlier. Now come along with me to my house. Your sister-in-law will be eagerly waiting for you at my door after having decorated the house with ornamental gateways and drawn auspicious chalk-paintings in front and put on her best dress and ornaments and pearls.' The monkey said, 'My sister-in-law has spoken well- A wise man should avoid being like a weaver always greedily drawing threads (advantages) towards himself. To give, to take, to confide secrets, to ask for them, to eat and cause to eat, are the six ways of showing affection. But I am a forest dweller and your house is in the waters. How then can I enter your house? So you better bring my sister-in-law also here so that I may

prostrate to her and take her blessings.' The crocodile said, 'Friend, at the bottom of this lagoon, there is a beautiful sandbank where my house is situated. So get upon my back and come with me without fear.' The monkey was delighted at this prospect of new adventure and said, 'If that is so, do not tarry. Hurry up. Here, I am already on your back.' With this the monkey got upon the crocodile's back, and the crocodile pushed of! into the lagoon. 

As soon as be got into the deep water, the monkey was frightened and said to the crocodile, ' Brother, proceed slowly. My body is wetted by the waves.' Hearing that, the crocodile thought, 'He has now come to the unfathomable waters and is securely within my power. He will not be able to go even an inch from my back. So I shall tell him now the real object of taking him to my house so that he may pray to his favourite deity (Every Hindu has his own favourite deity-It is considered by all Hindus to be a sin not to allow a man to pray to his favourite deity, before putting him to death) before meeting with death.' Thinking thus, he told the

monkey, 'Friend, having duped you into trusting in me, I have brought you here for putting you to death as per my wife's desire. So pray to your favourite deity, for death is imminent.' The monkey asked, 'Brother, what evil have I done to you or to her that you should think of putting me to death ?' The crocodile said, 'Oh, she is possessed with an incurable longing to taste your heart which has according to her become full of nectar by tasting these jambu fruits full of nectar-like juice. She thinks that by eating it she will be rid of old age and death and would not leave me in peace till I promised to give her your heart to eat. That is why I am taking you there.' 

A brilliant idea struck the monkey, and he said, 'Friend, why did you not tell me about this before you left the shore? I have kept my heart, as I always do, in the middle of the jambu tree well concealed. That is why I go up and down the tree so often in order to keep it under constant observation. I shall be only too glad to offer it to my sister-in-law. What is the use of your taking me to her without the all-important heart ?' The foolish crocodile said with joy, "If that is so, I shall take you back at once to that jambu tree so that you may give me your heart after getting which alone my wicked wife has vowed

to break her fast.' Saying so, he returned with the monkey and left him at the foot of the jambu tree. The monkey made several vows on the way to all his gods for safely reaching the tree. As soon as he was put at the foot of the tree, he jumped up the tree with a jump longer than ever he had jumped before in his life. Getting to a very high branch of the tree, he heaved a deep sigh and said to himself, 'My god, I have regained my life. Well have the wise men said, "Never trust the unworthy and never trust too much even the trustworthy. The danger arising from such foolish confidence cuts at the root of all confidence."I have now got a new birth and a new lease of life as it were.'

When he was thinking thus, the crocodile said, ' Friend, give me your heart so that I may take it to your sister-in-law for breaking her fast.' The monkey laughed and said revilingly 'Fie, you fool, you abuser of confidence, will anyone have two hearts ? So, get away from here and never set your foot again in the shadow of the jambu tree. Well has it been said, "He who has once behaved vilely towards his friend and again tries to make friends with him whom he has wronged will meet with certain death even as a mare dies as soon as it gives birth to its young(That is an ancient Hindu belief)".Hearing this, the crocodile was filled with chagrin and shame and said to himself, 'Alas I Owing to my accursed stupidity, I revealed to him my real motive in taking him to my house. I shall speak to him in such a manner as to make him again trust in me and come with me.' 

So he said, 'Friend, I simply joked with you and wanted to test you. Am I fool enough to really believe that anybody could detach his heart and keep it in the hollow of a tree ? I merely wanted to see the joke through. My wife has no use whatever for your heart. Nor will she dream of killing such a friend of her husband. So, come to my house as an honoured guest. Your sister-in-law is eagerly waiting to receive you.' The monkey said. 'Get away, you wretch. I will not come -any more with you. Of yore, Gangadatta said, "A hungry man will commit any sin, a weak man will be without mercy; go, friend, and tell Priyadarsana that Gangadatta will never return to that well".' The crocodile asked, 'What is that story?' Then the monkey related the story of 'Blind Revenge'. 

After relating it, the monkey said, ' Oh wicked devil of the deep, like Gangadatta I too will never return to the place after knowing that certain death is awaiting me.' The crocodile said, 'Friend, do not say so. Free me from the sin of ingratitude for ever by coming to my house and accepting my hospitality. Otherwise, I shall starve ray- self to death, and my blood will be upon your head.' The monkey said, 'Fool, do you take me to be another Lambakarna that, having once escaped from certain death, I would idiotically

plunge into death again ? He went and saw the immense power and courage of the lion, and managed to escape. But, being, devoid of heart and ears, the fool again entered the very same portals of death.' 

The crocodile asked, 'Friend, who was this Lambakarna? How did he see death and escape and again court it? Tell me' the story. Then the monkey related the story of 'The Ass Without Heart And Ears' and said, 'So, you fool, you cheated me but frustrated your own diabolical design by foolishly uttering the truth like the potter Yudhishtira. That fool who speaks the truth in the middle of his fraudulent designs and against his own interests is a veritable blockhead and will come to grief like another Yudhishtira.' The crocodile asked, 'What is that story ?' Then the monkey related the story of "Potter As Warrior" and said, "O fool to attempt such treachery on your friend for the sake of your wife f You expected love and gratitude from her. But she would have behaved only like the Brahmin's wife, in the story, who, for the sake of a miserable cripple, plotted to kill her husband who had left his relatives for her sake and even given half his life to her. "What is that story asked the crocodile. The monkey than narrated the story of "The Ungrateful wife" and said, 'Oh fool, parrots- are confined in cages because they have a garrulous tongue while the more discreet cranes go free. Now go away,, otherwise I shall be forced to neck you out.' 

The crocodile said, 'You have misunderstood me and misconstrued my joke. I assure you that I am ever devoted to you and will never play you false'. The monkey said, 'Villain, I may be taken in at times, but I am not such a fool as the carpenter who though he saw his wife commit, adultery in his very presence foolishly believed her explanation and carried her and her paramour on his shoulders and went about from house to house with them in joy'. The crocodile wanted to hear that story also. Then the monkey related the story of 'A Fool's Rejoicing' and said, 'After catching you in the very act' of committing sin, how do you expect me to come with you again to your house? Perhaps you are not to be blamed for your deluding me into confidence and trying to kill me treacherously thereafter, for it is the innate nature of hideous, wicked monsters like you to behave thus. Even association

with the pure and the innocent will not cure you. An evil -disposed and wicked person, though well advised by the good, will not become upright or pure any more than charcoal will become white by rubbing. Having refused to take the sun, the cloud, the air and the mountain for her husband, the mouse-maiden wedded a ridiculous mouse of her own race. It is difficult to tree oneself from the instincts of the race.' 

The crocodile wanted to hear the story, and the monkey related the story of 'A Mouse Will Wed a Mouse' and said, 'O henpecked fool, o slave of your wife, such persons like you sacrifice their own interests, their wealth and their friends to every whim of their wives. But I should not perhaps blame you. Such is the nature of many males. The great Nanda and the wise Vararuchi were no less slaves of their wives than your own ugly and wicked self as is proved by an amusing story.' The crocodile wanted, to hear that story also, and the monkey related the story of 'Love's Necessities' and said, 'O fool, while they merely did harmless things at the behest of their wives you wanted to betray and kill your dear friend. But your tongue betrayed you. Fool, parrots are confined in cages because they have a garrulous tongue while the stupid cranes go free because of their silence. You know the story of "The ass In tiger skin" which brayed and got killed. 

"What is that story?" asked the crocodile. Then the monkey narrated it. 'When he had finished story, some water animal came and told the crocodile, 'O Karalamukha, your wife who was fasting and waiting for you impatiently took to heart your dallying here even longer than usual and committed suicide owing to disappointment and jealousy.' On hearing this, the crocodile exclaimed, 'Ah miserable me, what a terrible calamity has overtaken me! My home is a home no more. A good man's home is not his house but his wife. A house from which his wife is absent is more desolate than a desert. Even a tree-bottom is sweet home if his wife is there. A palace without his wife there will be a wilderness.' Turning to the monkey, he said, 'Friend, forgive me for the cruel wrong I have done you. I shall now go and die on my beloved's funeral pyre. Good-bye.' 

The monkey replied, 'I knew from the very outset that you were a slave of your wife and under her thumb always. Now you have given further proof of that. Fool, why do you grieve when you ought to be delighted ? The death of such wicked wives ought to be celebrated as a festival. That wife who is always wicked and quarrelsome should be considered by the wise as horrible old age in the form of a wife. Such women should be abandoned by all desiring their peace of mind. They are not brought round by punishment or gift or praise. They will kill their own sons born from their wombs. Only a fool will expect to find affection in these cruel creatures, mildness in these hardhearted ones, and sweetness in these soured hags. So, cast off all idea of suicide for the sake of the loss of such a woman. Rejoice rather that you are rid of her by her own fault.' The crocodile said,, 'Friend, what you say has a great deal of truth in it. But what shall I do now ? I have lost my wife, and my home has become desolate. I have also lost your affection. I have suffered a double calamity like the farmer's wife. "What is that story?"asked the monkey. Then the crocodile narrated the story of "The Farmer's Wife".

When he had finished it, another water animal came and told the crocodile, "Your home, left desolate after the death of your wife, has been invaded and occupied by a powerful crocodile, your rival.' Hearing this, Karalamukha became still more sad and thought, 'Fate is indeed very hard on me. My friend is alienated, my wife is dead, and my home is in the hands of my enemy. What more will happen I cannot say. Verily, misfortunes do not come single. How shall I drive out this invader of my home ? Shall I deal with him by good words, or by gifts, or shall I stir up his enemy against him, or shall I fight him myself ? It is best to consult this wise monkey, for, that scheme which is discussed with and approved by the wise will never fail.' Thinking thus, he, asked the monkey for his advice. 

The monkey said, 'You do not deserve any help from me since you have done me harm ' The crocodile replied, 'What is the special merit in doing good to those who have done good to you ? Virtue lies in doing good to one who has done harm to you. Ah me, what am I to do now? I have lost my wife and house" and shed tears. The monkey said, "You fool, this is the time for action, not for tears. Ungrateful as you are, I pity you for the sake of our old friendship which you betrayed. Don't be dejected at this crisis. Assume courage, and go and fight with that rival crocodile. One should gain over the best by prostration, the powerful by setting up another against him, the mean by a small gift, and one's own equal by a straight fight. Hear the story of the jackal and be convinced.' He then related the story of "The Jackal's Four Foes". He went on: "Never leave your home for a foreign place simply because of enemy occupation, calamity, scarcity of food, etc. Remember the story of "The Dog who went Abroad". What is that story?"asked the crocodile. The' monkey then narrated that story and said, "Now go back to your home, fight the enemy with determination and kill him and live happily. The crocodile thanked him profusely, plunged into the depths with sudden resolution, fought with the rival crocodile ferociously, killed him, and lived in peace and happiness ever after. 

The Panchatantra - Story 42a

STORY NO. 42a. THE GHEE-BLINDED BRAHMIN

There was once a Brahmin called Yagnadatta. His wife was an adulteress who was always thinking of her paramour and was constantly going to him with sweetmeats cooked in

ghee unknown to her husband. Once, the Brahmin accidentally saw her cooking the sweetmeats and said, 'Darling, why are you cooking these, and where are you going daily? Speak the truth,' She fraudulently replied thus, 'Not far from here is the temple of the goddess. Having fasted for the day, I am taking the sacred rice and sweetmeats there to be offered to the deity.' So saying, she took the sweetmeat and rice in his presence and went in the direction of the temple. 

She thought to herself, 'If I go to the temple to-day my husband will think that I am doing this daily and that I am cooking the sweetmeats only for the deity.' So she went to the temple, got down into the tank and began ta bathe in it preparatory to entering the temple. Her husband went to the temple by another path and hid himself securely behind the idol . Soon, his wife came after her bath into the temple, and after offering the incense, unguents, camphor and sweetmeats, bowed to the goddess and prayed, 'Oh Goddess, how can my husband be made blind?'. 

Hearing this, her husband from behind the idol said in a voice different from his usual

one, 'If you give him daily sweetmeats cooked in ghee, he will soon become blind.' His wife was deceived by these fraudulent words and gave her husband plenty of such sweetmeats every day. Some days afterwards, he told her, 'Darling, my sight is gone.' She thought, 'This is by the grace of the goddess.' Then she informed her paramour of this and asked him to go to her house. He thought, 'This Brahmin has become blind. What can he do to me?' and so went to her house unhesitatingly. The Brahmin pretended to be completely blind and not to notice his entry. The paramour, thus reassured, began to visit the house every day without the least fear. One day, when he was carelessly sitting in the house, the Brahmin suddenly dashed at him from behind with a stout cudgel and beat him to death. Then he cut his wicked wife's nose and drove her out. 

The Panchatantra - Story 42

STORY NO. 42. FROGS RIDE A SERPENT

Mandavisarpa(Slow-glide The serpent was slowed down by age. In some manuscripts he is named Mandavisarpa or slow-poison) was an old serpent, He whose speed had slowed

down. He thought to himself, 'How can I now get a comfortable livelihood ?' Thinking out a working plan, ha went to the banks of a lake full of frogs and behaved like one in profound misery. He was seen thus by a frog which came to the edge of the waters. It asked him, 'Uncle, why don t you wander about for food to-day as usual ?' He replied, 'Friend, what desire for food can an unfortunate wretch like me have ? Last night, I went in search of food and saw a frog. I got ready to spring on him and seize him. Urged by the fear of death, he jumped into the middle of some Brahmins who were reciting scriptures near the edge of the water, and I could not see clearly the course of his flight. I searched for him and in my hunger and folly bit the toe of a Brahmin boy standing on the brink of the water, mistaking the toe for the frog. The boy died at once. Then I was cursed by his sorrowing father thus. "Oh, wicked one, you have bitten and killed my innocent son. For this crime, you are condemned for the rest of your life to carry frogs on your back and to live on whatever they are pleased to give you. So I have come to carry you".

The frog at once went and told all the other frogs. Then all went with joyous hearts to Jalapada, the King of frogs and told him everything. He and his ministers were astonished

and delighted at the news and soon came out of the water and took their seats on the snake's uplifted hood. The remaining frogs got on the back of the snake according to their order of precedence. Those who could not get seats ran behind the snake as he sped along. 

Mandavisarpa, with an eye to his future interests, displayed many and varied modes of progression. Jalapada was pleased with all this and said to him, 'I have never had such a delightful ride either on an elephant or on a horse or in palanquin carried by men.' The next day, Mandavisarpa, when ridden by Jalapada and the frog notables, went very slow with a cunning and fraudulent intent. Seeing the slowness of his gait, Jalapada asked him, 'Friend Mandavisarpa, why is it that you do not run fast to-day as usual?' Mandavisarpa said, 'Sire, owing to lack of food I am unable to bear this heavy burden and run fast.'

Jalapada said, 'Friend, eat some of the low-caste frogs.' Mandavisarpa was overjoyed and said, 'The Brahmin's curse is also this, that I should eat whatever you, the noble frogs, give me. So I am much pleased at this your order. After this, Mandavisarpa used to eat frogs incessantly and in a few days became very strong*. Contented with himself, and with a suppressed smile, he said to himself, 'These frogs which have been obtained by my fraud appear to be inexhaustible in spite of my incessantly eating them.' Jalapada, deluded by the hypocritical words of Mandavisarpa, never understood anything. 

After some time, another big serpent passed by the spot. Seeing Mandavisarpa carry frogs, he was astonished and said to him; 'Friend, these frogs are our legitimate food. It it therefore highly improper that you should carry them on your back as if you were their slave. Mandavisarpa replied, T know everything. I bide my time carrying these frogs as the Brahmin bode his time pretending to be blind with ghee. The other snake asked. What is that story ?' Mandavisarpa then related the story of "The ghee-blinded Brahmin".

Mandavisarpa said, 'So, like the Brahmin, I too am biding my time.' He smiled to himself again and said, 'How many nice different tastes frogs have! and licked his lips. Jalapada heard the talk between the serpents but could not understand it, being ignorant of the serpent tongue in which it had been carried on. Vaguely distressed in mind, he asked Mandavisarpa, 'What is it that you were saying?' Mandavisarpa replied hypocritically, 'Oh nothing very important; the usual small talk we serpents indulge in on seeing each other.' The King of the frogs was deceived by these hypocritical words and was unable to understand the wickedness of the speech. In due course, Mandavisarpa ate up all the frogs including Jalapada, and not even a single frog was left in that lake to continue the race. 

The Panchatantra - Story 41

STORY NO. 41. THE CAVE WHICH TALKED

There was once a lion named Kharanakhara(Fierce Mane) in a great forest. One day, after wandering in the forest till sunset, he found no animal to kill and eat. Just as the sun set, he saw a huge mountain cave and went into it and lay down saying to himself : "Surely

some animal will come into this cave for shelter in the night, I will hide here and spring on it and kill it when it arrives." Presently, the owner of the cave, a jackal came to the door and cried out, "Hullo cave, hullo cave!" Then after a minute's silence, he repeated his cry. There was no reply. A third time he repeated the cry and added. 

"Don't you remember our agreement that you were to say,

"hullo!" in return every night before I entered you. Well, if you are not going to keep it, I will go to another cave and make a similar agreement with it". When he heard this, the lion thought, "Obviously this cave replies to his greeting. l must say, "hullo!" lest he should go away and I go hungry for the whole day." So, he cried, 'hullo!". The roar of the lion resounded loudly and there was also a terrific echo. The jackal laughed and said : "So, that is it, is it ? I never heard a cave talk all my life," and departed from there at top speed.

The Panchatantra - Story 40

STORY NO. 40. THE BIRD WITH DUNG OF GOLD

There was once a bird living on a mountain side which used to drop dung of gold. One day, a hunter saw this phenomenon and was amazed, as he had never seen such thing before. He trapped the bird and caught it. Then he thought that if he kept the, bird to himself the secret would leak out and the king, who had made the production of gold a state monopoly, would punish him. 

So, he took the bird to the king and gave it to him saying, "Sir, this is a valuable bird which will drop dung of pure gold. I have brought it to Your Majesty as a present."The King said to his ministers, "What a wonderful phenomenon ! Let us watch it."The ministers said : "Sir, whoever heard of a bird which dropped dung of gold ? How can you believe that illiterate fool, who speaks such an incredible thing?"The king was taken in by the advice of the ministers and he freed the bird. 

The Panchatantra - Story 39

STORY NO. 39. MOUSE MADE MOUSE AGAIN

On the banks of the Ganges, where it flows down from giant masses of rock with a deafening noise which frightens the fish, where the river is covered with white foam and waves are unceasing, there was a hermitage. In that hermitage there were several sages

who were engaged in pious readings and recitations and sacrifices, who drank only the pure water of the river, ate only roots, bulbs and green leaves, and wore only the barks of trees. The head of the hermitage was Yagnavalkva. One day, he finished his bath in the river and was about to return when a hawk above his head dropped on him a female baby mouse.

The gentle sage, moved by pity, put it on a banyan leaf and bathed again to purify himself from the touch of this animal. He then transformed the mouse into a tiny female baby by the power of his austerities and took her to the hermitage and said to his childless wife, "My dear, take this baby, tend her as if she were

born from your own womb, and bring her up with every care/ She accordingly brought up the baby most carefully and affectionately. When the girl became twelve years old, Yagnavalkya's wife said to her husband, "Dearest, why are you not bestirring yourself? Your daughter's marriage is overdue". He replied, 'Darling, you are right. She has now attained the age prescribed in our Sastras for marriage. She has learnt how to keep her body clean with proper ablutions, music has been taught to her, she is an adept at cooking, and she has been initiated into the mysteries of learning.

Now is the time to seek out a suitable bridegroom for her. Marriages have to be entered into with persons of equal wealth and birth. The seven things to be considered in marriage are family, character, relations, learning, wealth,, physical fitness and age. Wise men can only look to these things. The rest are too uncertain to be considered. So, if the girl is agreeable to it, I shall call the sun and marry her to him.' His wife said, ' What harm

is there? Do so,' So the sage sent for the sun. The sun came and asked, ' Venerable sir, why have you called me?' He replied, 'Here is my daughter. Kindly marry her., Then, turning to his daughter, he said, ' Daughter, what do you say to the idea of your marrying this god who lights the three worlds(Earth, Heaven, and nether regions)?". She replied, 'Father, he is too hot. I do not therefore like him. Please send for a greater one than he".

Hearing this, the sage asked the sun, ' Who is greater than you?' The sun replied, "The cloud is greater than I. If he covers me, I am completely hidden and rendered invisible". The sage sent for the cloud and asked his daughter, 'Child, shall I give you in marriage to this powerful being?' She replied, 'He is black and very

moist. Ascertain from him who is more powerful than he and give me to him.' The sage asked the cloud, ' Is there any one greater than you?' The cloud replied, 'Yes, the air is greater than I for he is making me fly about from place to place.' The sage then called the air and said to his daughter, 'Child, I shall give you to this being.' She replied, 'Father, he is very fickle and undependable. So get me some one more powerful than he.' The sage asked the air, 'Is there any one greater than you?' The air replied, 'The mountain is far stronger than I, for my best efforts to move him fail miserably.' 

So the sage sent for the mountain and said to his daughter, ' Child, shall I give you in marriage to him?' She replied, 'Father, he is hard-hearted and is also motionless like a

pillar despite the sight of my great beauty. Give me to another.' The sage asked the mountain, 'Is there any greater than you?' He replied, 'The mouse is more powerful than I, for he burrows holes in my sides.' The sage sent for the mouse and asked his daughter, 'Child, shall I give you in marriage to him ?' She saw the mouse, a sense of kinship and same caste overwhelmed her, she had horripilation(the erection of hairs on the skin due to cold, fear, or excitement), and she said shyly to her father, 'Father, make me into a mouse and give me in marriage to him. I shall discharge all the duties of the household when happily married to him.' The sage made the maiden a mouse again by the power of his austerity and gave her in marriage to the mouse. 

The Panchatantra - Story 38

STORY NO. 38. A FOOL'S REJOICING

There was once a carpenter whose wife was an adulteress. Rumours of her unchastity were prevalent everywhere and was common knowledge in the town. The carpenter was troubled by these rumours and wanted to test how far they were true. He thought to himself, "How can I test her? What is the use of testing her chastity? It is so much useless

labour spent. Nothing is gained by scrutinising the origin of a river, or a family, or a sage, or a Mahatma, or testing the chastity of a woman. From the casual union of a sage born of a demi-god and a maiden born of a fish came the immortal Vyasa(Vyasa was the result of a casual union between Parasara, a sage born of a demigod, and Satyavati. a lady recovered from the belly of a fish) with a hundred good qualities and unparalleled intellectual brilliance, the progenitor of the extinct famous race of the Kurus, and the model on earth of a good man.

The ways of Fate are indeed curious and inexplicable. Now, let us take the family. The celebrated family of the Pandavas consisted of five sons all of whom were born to a woman by others than her husband. The inquiry into the alleged unchastity of a woman only brings about the many bad qualities of women and casts suspicion on the whole race. Fire may become cool and the Moon hot. but a wicked woman will never be chaste. But it is still desirable that I should find out the truth of these rumours about my wife. I now know her to be pure or otherwise only from what people say and not from my own knowledge, and no wise man should trust mere hearsay. It is wonderful how rumour works. That which is not in the Vedas or the Sastras, that which was never seen or heard, all that concerning the whole of this Universe is known to Dame Rumour". 

Thus thinking he told his wife, 'Beloved, I am going abroad tomorrow morning and shall be absent from home for some days. So, please get ready for me the provisions for my journey.' Hearing this, she was delighted and with an energy born of joy, got ready for him in no time various kinds of sweetmeats and ready-made foods. Well has it been said,

'Great is the delight felt by an adulterous woman on rainy days and dark nights when the streets are rendered impassable and on days when her husband is abroad.' Early in the morning of the next day, the carpenter started on his journey. As soon as he had gone, his wife put on her best dress and ornaments, and went to the house of her admirer Devadatta, who had often cast yearning glances at her, and told him, 'The devil of my husband has gone abroad and will not return for some days. So come tonight to my house and let us enjoy to our hearts' content.' He had not hoped for such an easy conquest, and agreed with delight. The carpenter passed the whole day in a wood adjoining the town, and at dusk, when his wife was busy adorning herself for the encounter with her lover, entered the house by the back door which was left open by her, and, unseen by her, went and hid himself under the cot. 

Devadatta came shorty afterwards and sat upon the cot over which the bed had already been spread. On seeing him, the carpenter was filled with anger and said to himself, 'Shall I rise up at once and do this villain to death? Or shall I wait till he and she consort together and sleep and then dispatch them both with ease? Well, let me first watch their movements and hear what she talks to him,' Soon, his wife came to the room, bolted the door, and eagerly mounted the cot. In doing so, her right leg touched the carpenter's body. With remarkable intuition characteristic of such women, she said to herself, 'Surely, this must be the devil of ray husband concealing himself here in order to test my chastity, I shall show him how clever a woman can be.' 

When she was thinking thus, Devadatta was dying with eagerness to embrace her. She folded her bands in supplication to him and said, ' Oh great soul, I am the model of chastity and am ever faithful to my husband.' He was nonplussed by this and asked, 'If that is so, why did you send for me?' She said, ' Listen attentively. I go everyday to the Kali temple near by for worshipping. This morning when I was in the temple the goddess said

to me, "Daughter, what can I do for you ? You are my devoted worshipper, but Fate has ordained that your husband shall die within six months from to-day and you become a widow." I then said, " Oh goddess, you who know about this calamity must surely also know how to avert it. Pray, suggest to me some way by which ray husband will live for a hundred years." 

She said, " Daughter, there is a way to avert it but it is almost impossible for you to follow it." At that I asked her, " Goddess, please tell it to me. Even though it costs me my life, I shall do it." Then the goddess said to me, "You will have to sacrifice more than your life if you are to save him. To a chaste woman like you, your chastity is more precious than a hundred lives. If you are to save your husband, yon must make the supremest sacrifice that can be demanded of a chaste woman. You must invite to your bed a man other than your husband and embrace him there. By doing this alone will your husband be saved from this untimely death and live for a hundred years." I told her, " Goddess, no sacrifice is too dear for saving the life of my precious husband though the one you have named is the cruellest of all." I returned from the temple and sent for you in order to adopt the only course to save my husband. So, at once embrace me and be done with it. I am firmly convianced that what the gods say cannot but be true.' 

Then Devadatta and she embraced each other. When this was over, 'she told Devadatta, 'Great soul, you have saved my husband by complying with my request. I too, by doing the cruellest sacrifice a chaste woman can do, have saved my beloved husband who is ray god, my beloved, and my soul's salvation. Go thy way now and let me await for the return of my husband now assured of a hundred years. I only wish that he were dere now to embrace me in this new joy and to console me in this, my terrible sacrifice.' The foolish carpenter was deluded by his wife's tale. At these last words of hers, he sprang up from underneath the cot and said to his wife, 'Oh beloved, oh model of chastity, oh soul of purity, oh delight of my family, embrace me forthwith and forgive me for my lie to you. Misled by the rumours of the malicious populace, I suspected your chastity and wanted to test it. So I told you falsely that I would be going abroad for some days and crept slyly under this cot in the evening, entering the house through the back door when you were engaged otherwise. Forgive me for my suspecting such a model of chastity who has all the while been thinking of my welfare and has made the cruellest sacrifice a chaste woman can make in order to save me from untimely death and to make me live a hundred years.' He then caught her in his arms and embraced her fervently. Then he told Devadatta, 'Oh great soul, you have come here by my good fortune. Owing to your acceding to ray wife's desire, I am now assured of a hundred years.' With that he embraced him also Then taking his wife and the bewildered and unwilling Devadatta on either shoulder, he danced about in the house in a delirium of joy and from there rushed on into the street exhibiting them at every door to the wonder and astonishment of all householders. 

The Panchatantra - Story 37

STORY NO. 37. THE SNAKE IN THE PRINCE'S BELLY

There was a king called Devasakti in a certain kingdom. He had an only son who was the crown prince. But this prince was afflicted by a snake in his belly(Round worms and several worms which can be almost as long; as small snakes will have this effect) and began to grow thinner and thinner and waste away. Devasakti was stricken with sorrow. He went to several temples and prayed to the deities there to rid his son of the snake in

the belly. On the advice of his ministers he also got his son married to a princess from a neighboring kingdom. 

That princess was an intelligent girl. One day, when she returned after shopping, she found her husband asleep with his head resting on an ant-hill. The snake in the belly was jutting out its head from the mouth. The snake from the ant-hill had also jutted its head through the hole and the two snakes saw each other, They become angry with one another. 

The snake from the ant-hill cried out to the snake in the prince's belly : You fellow, you are possessing this handsome prince." The snake in the prince's belly cried out to the snake in the ant-hill : "You fellow, you are possessing two pots of gold in that ant-hill." The snake in the ant-hill cried out: "You fool, if a concoction of black mustard, long pepper and omum is drunk you are finished." The snake in the princess belly cried out : " Boiling water poured into your hale will finish you off, you fool The princess heard this conversation. She gave her husband a concoction of black mustard, long pepper and omum, and killed the snake in his belly and made him hale and hearty. She poured pots of boiling water into the ant-hill and killed the snake there and dug up the ant-hill and got the two pots of gold. 

The Panchatantra - Story 36

STORY NO. 36. THE BRAHMIN, THIEF AND OGRE

There was once a poor Brahmin in a certain village. He lived on the gifts he got. He had few luxuries. He did not even have money enough to have a shave every day, or to have

his nails pared, Heat and cold, wind and rain and lack of proper nourishment dried him up. One day, a rich man, who had lost his father, gifted this Brahmin two calves for the departed soul's benefit. The Brahmin tended them carefully on fine grass and gave them good nourishment and made them very plump.

They soon grew up to be hand some cows. A thief had his eye on them and wanted to steal them. As he was approaching the house, he saw an ogre, with sharp protruding teeth and lage eyes and hollow cheeks. The thief was frightened at this sight and asked him: " Who are you. Sir?" The ogre said, "I am an ogre going to that Brahmin's house in order to

eat him up. Who are you?" The thief said that he was a thief going to the Brahmin's house to steal his cows. Then they both proceeded to the Brahmin's house and hid in a convenient place inside, waiting for an opportunity to start their operations. When the Brahmin went to sleep, the ogre rose in order to go and eat him. The thief said to him : "Wait a minute, let me steal his cows before you eat him up and raise an alarm." The ogre said : " Let me do the eating first. If you do the stealing first, an alarm will be raised, and my eating will be frustrated." 

They both began to argue long and loud as to who was to move first and achieve his object. The hubbub woke up the Brahmin. The thief cried out to him : "Brahmin, this ogre wants to eat you up." The ogre said: "Brahmin, this thief wants to steal your cows." The Brahmin then uttered a mantra and made the ogre flee. He raised a shout and took a club and rushed at the thief who fled to save himself. 

The Panchatantra - Story 35

STORY NO. 35. THE OLD MAN AND HIS YOUNG WIFE

There was once an old merchant called Kamatura(Overwhelmed by lust). When his wife died after living with him for 40 years, he married the very next day a pretty young girl of 16, after giving her parents lots of money in order to induce them to agree to the marriage. The girl was heart-broken, and did not love him at all, and shrank from his attempted embraces as from the cremation ground. One night, as they were lying in bed, she turning her back to him as usual, a burly thief entered the house. Seeing him, the wife was terrified and clung to her husband fast. The old husband was thrilled by this

unexpected embrace, and was also astonished. He said to himself : " Why did she hug me tonight, she who avoided me all these days?". 

Peering about, he saw the burly thief standing in a corner. He said to himself: "Doubtless, she embraced me from fear of him." He said to the thief: "She who always shrunk from me is embracing me fervently tonight, thanks to you, my benefactor. Take whatever you like from the house." The thief was moved and replied: "Sir, I shall not take a single thing from this house, and I am glad that I have rendered this benefit to you. I shall return only if she does not hug you as closely as she does now."