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." 

The Panchatantra - Story 34

STORY NO. 34. THE SELF SACRIFICING DOVE

There was once a fierce fowler who was an expert at laying traps for innocent birds in order to catch them and sell them in the market. While the birds were singing beautiful

songs, his only thought was how to trap them or shoot them. Naturally he was abhorred by his fellowmen. Daily he took a net, a catch, a club and bow and arrows and roamed through the forest in search of victims. One day, when he was in the forest, a terrible thunder storm broke out, and rain poured in torrents, and he was drenched from head to toe, and took refuge under a tree. He was dying of hunger. On that tree lived a pair of doves, deeply in love with each other. 

The wife was away, and the husband was very anxious about his wife. "A house is not a home without the wife," cried out the male dove. "Where has my beloved gone in this great storm, and when will she come ?" Soon his wife teturned and saw the fowler in his miserable state. The fowler begged of God to be kind to him that day and begged of the doves to relieve his cold and hunger. The male dove then heaped up a number of leaves and twigs from his nest and lighted them and gave the fowler a fire to warm himself with.

The fowler asked for some food saying, "I am dying of hunger." Having nothing to give him, the male dove, desirous of feeding a guest asking for hospitality, fell into that fire, asking the fowler to eat him up. The female dove, on seeing her husband's act, said, "How can I live without my husband ? Oh, eat me too," and fell into the fire after her husband.

Both the husband and the wife were taken in a golden chariot to heaven by the gods because of their beautiful deeds of sacrifice. The fowler, on seeing this, thought, "What a miserable sinful life is mine that I, born a man, am not doing anything noble like these mere birds, and am living a life of cruelty, indulging in the slaughter of innocents," and he went along the forest without eating the dead doves. Seeing a forest fire, he plunged into it and burnt himself to death so that he might get a new birth and begin a new life free from sins. 

The Panchatantra - Story 33

STORY NO. 33. KING SIVI

There was once a King called Sivi(Or, King Shibi) to whom all the 'Kings of India did homage. Sivi was the embodiment of mercy and was the prince among givers. No man in distress or misery appealed to him in vain. His fame for charity spread to heaven. Indra,

the King of the celestials, thought : 'There is no giver of charity equal to Sivi. What is his real idea in giving such unbounded gifts ? Is he merely playing for fame, or has he got a passion for succoring the helpless ? What is the extent of his resources? Will they stop with the treasures in his treasury or will he even go further ?' In order to find out an answer to these questions, he called Yama and thought out a plan with him. 

One morning, Sivi, after finishing his ablutions, had come and taken his seat in the hall of Justice, Indra took the form of a dove and flew across the palace gardens to the hall of justice closely pursued by Yama, who had assumed the shape of a falcon. The dove dropped at the feet of Sivi exhausted and trembling and with eyes scared with fear. Its state was such as to excite the pity of the most pitiless man. It said to Sivi in a voice trembling with fear, 'O King, .1 seek thy protection. Save me from the falcon.' Scarcely had it said this than the falcon reached the spot, prostrated before Sivi and said in a loud voice, ' O King, release the dove. Give hungry me the food which ought to be mine ' The pigeon said. 'Sire, it is your duty to protect me as I have sought your asylum. Good men are always ready to sacrifice even their own lives for protecting those who have sought their asylum.' The falcon said, 'O King, you are reputed to grant every unfortunate or

aggrieved person his request. So you ought to give up this pigeon which is my legitimate food, I am dying of hunger.' 

The King, being naturally of a very kind disposition and yet resolved not to deviate from the path ff justice, was bewildered, and his mind was unsettled like a man in a swing. He said to the falcon at last, 'Good men will never give up those who seek their asylum. I shall see that as much meat as you want is given to you from the palace kitchen. So, leave the pigeon.' The falcon said, *We falcons never eat meat killed by others. We eat only living meat warm with the newly dripping blood. If you are prepared to give me your flesh equal to the weight of this pigeon, I shall accept it instead.' All right, I shall give my flesh' said Sivi. Hearing this reply, the assembled Kings and citizens raised a huge wail. 

They said, 'Sire, don't be rash. This is a demon in the shape of a falcon come to bring

about your destruction.' Sivi heeded not this warning. True to his plighted word he had the balance in the treasury brought. The pigeon was put in one of the pans. He cut chunks of flesh from his thighs and other fleshy parts and put them in the other pan. But they did not weigh anything like the dove. He cut from more and more limbs and put more and more pieces of flesh, but still the weight was not equal to that of the dove's. Then he bowed to the all- righteous God and himself got into the pan. Immediately the drums and bugles of heaven resounded at this unheard-of act of sacrifice. There was a profuse rain of flowers from the sky, and their marvelous scent spread all over the world. Unseen voices said from all the ten directions(North, North-East, East, South-East. South, South-West, West, North-West, above (the heavens), and below (the earth)) 'Well done, well-done.' Then Indra and Yama appeared in their own forms and said to the King. 'Well-done, O King. We have realized your burning love for animals. You alone have known the real truth. Your body will again be whole and unhurt as before. May your inexhaustible wealth be always spent in acts of virtue for benefiting all created beings,' and they disappeared. 

The Panchatantra - Story 32

STORY NO. 32. THE BRAHMIN AND THE SNAKE OR 

THE INJURED CAN NEVER BE REAL 

FRIENDS AGAIN.

There was a Brahmin called Haridatta. He had a  worthless field which yielded scanty crops hardly sufficient  for the maintenance of himself, his wife and son. One  day, while watching this field with its scanty crop, he  dozed under a tree. When he opened his eyes, he was  astonished to see a terrible snake coming out of an ant-hill  in the field, spreading its hood. "Ah," said he, "this  must be the guardian serpent of my field to which I have  not

paid honour and, therefore, I am suffering the pangs  of poverty. I shall worship it, and it will give me wealth  in return(The Hindus believe that serpents have got treasures and will  make gifts to those who worship them)". He went home hurriedly, brought some  milk in a small mud pot, and placed it in the mouth of  the hole, crying out, "O divine serpent, be gracious unto  me suffering from dire poverty". The serpent drank the  milk with relish and was highly pleased, The next  morning when Haridatta went to the spot, he found a  gold coin left in

the mud pot and took it to be a gift  from the serpent in return for the milk. 

Everyday  thereafter, Haridatta gave the serpent a pail of milk and  worshiped it, and used invariably to find a gold coin  in the cup next morning. One day, he had to go on a journey to a nearby town, and so asked his son to take  the milk to the ant-hill and worship the snake. The son  did so and was surprised to find a gold coin in the cup.  He said to himself : "Surely, this ant-hill is full of gold  coins which this serpent guards. This miserable serpent  is giving me only one gold coin." So, when offering milk  to the serpent the next day, the boy suddenly struck the  snake on the head with a stout cudgel in order to kill it  and dig up the ant-hill and take away all the gold coins.  The blow missed the serpent, which, in terrible anger, stung the boy, who died almost immediately. 

The father, on his return, learnt the news, and with sorrow cremated  the boy. Feeling his poverty again, especially after  incurring the funeral expenses, he took a cup of milk once  more to the ant-hill, put it there, and worshiped the snake  with a desire to get the gold coin in return, as usual.  He cried out, "It was not your fault, O serpent, that you  stung

my son. He brought it on himself by trying to  kill you, and you acted only in self-defense." The  snake replied: "O Brahmin, the bond of love between us  is snapped by my killing your son, whatever the justification. You can never really love me hereafter. Your  son's corpse will be an impassable barrier between us.  We can never be friends again. So, go away in peace,  and I am also leaving this ant-hill with its bitter  memories." 

The Panchatantra - Story 31

STORY NO. 31. THE SNAKE AND THE ANTS OR NUMBERS TELL

There was once a huge black serpent called Mahahaya, who was proud of his strength and size and was therefore  arrogant and reckless. One day, instead of coming out  of the hole through the big vent, as usual, he wanted to  come out by the small vent which was slightly less then  his size, saying to himself, "I am so strong. The earth  will surely make

way for me." He did succeed in getting  out through that hole. But the earth was hard, and  inflicted terrible wounds on him in the process of getting  through. Thousands of big black ants saw him covered  with blood and, exhilarated by the smell of blood, fell on  him to eat him up. He killed hundreds, and wounded  hundreds more. But the remaining thousands bit him  fiercely and enlarged his wounds, and killed him, and ate  him up. 

The Panchatantra - Story 30

STORY NO. 30. THE BRAHMIN AND THE GOAT

The Brahmin Mitrasarma had taken the vow of keeping up the sacred fire for ever. In the month of Magha(A Hindu lunar month- Roughly, 15th February to 15th March) when a cold breeze was blowing and the clouds had overcast the sky, and there was a little drizzling, he went to a distant village to beg for a goat for a sacrifice/ He said to a rich householder, ' Sir I want to have a sacrifice on the coming new-moon day. So give me a goat(Animal sacrifices of various kinds were rife with the Hindus as with all ancient races. The commonest was the sacrifice of a goat). The householder gave him a fat goat. The Brahmin tried to lead the goat through the street. It ran to and fro, being afraid of the stranger and unwilling to leave its village. With great trouble the Brahmin succeeded in finally catching it. In order to prevent it from running to and fro again, he took it on his shoulders and started for his village. When the goat was struggling to escape, three hungry and poverty-stricken rogues saw it. They said to one another "If we eat this goat, we can brave this day's cold. So, let us dupe this simple Brahmin, get the goat and by eating it give our bodies the necessary vital energy to brave this cold". They separated after concerting a sound working plan. 

When the Brahmin had proceeded some way with the goat, one of these rogues came in the disguise of a farmer opposite to him and said to him "O reverend Brahmin, why are you carrying an unclean dog on your shoulders and thus doing an act which will bring the hatred and contempt of the people on you ? It has been said, "A dog, a cock and a chandala(The lowest of the out-castes) are declared to be equally untouchable and only a little less so than a camel and an ass.' So one should never touch them, least of all, a holy Brahmin like you.' The Brahmin got angry with him and said, ' Are you blind that you cal) this goat a dog The rogue replied, ' O Brahmin, do not get angry. Do what you like and go on carrying this dog if such is your desire,' and went his way. 

When the Brahmin had proceeded some more distance, the second rogue came opposite to him in the garb of a coolly. Seeing the Brahmin, he said ' Oh, what a shame ! O Brahmin, this dead calf might have been dear to you, but even so you should not carry it on your shoulders. It has been said, "That foolish person who touches a lower animal or corpse must undergo purification by either eating the panchagavyam(A purificatory preparation consisting of five products of the sacred cow, namely, ghee, milk, curds, cow's urine and cowdung, the last two in microscopic quantities) or by observing the chandrayana vow(A vow with graded fasting of a severe type)".' Then the Brahmin said in anger, ' What ! Are you blind that you call a living goat a dead calf ?' He replied, 'O venerable sir, don't get angry with me. I am a blunt man and spoke what I thought. You may act as you like.' 

When the Brahmin had proceeded some more distance the third rogue came opposite in the grab of a shepherd and said to him, 'Oh, this surely is most improper on your part, O Brahmin, thus to carry an ass on your shoulders. It has been said, " He who touches an ass knowingly or unknowingly has to purify himself by taking a bath with his clothes on." So abandon this unclean animal before others see you.' 

The Brahmin said to himself, ' Surely, this goat must be some Rakshasa(A man-devouring demon popularly supposed to be an enemy of sacrifices and capable of assuming any shape) who has taken the form of a goat in order to deceive me and lure me to destruction. It is well known how desirous of destroying the sacrifices these Rakshasas are. Unless this thing is a Rakshasa? how could it appear like a dog to the farmer, like a calf to the cooly and like an ass to the shepherd ? Only a Rakshasa can take so many forms. Let me abandon this wretch and escape while there is time.' So thinking, he threw the goat on the ground and ran homewards in panic flight. The three rogues caught the goat, cooked it and ate it with a contented heart. 

The Panchatantra - Story 29b

STORY NO. 29b. JUSTICE CAT

'Formerly I was living on a tree. In a hole below there lived a partridge. By our constantly living together in the same place an intimate friendship sprang up between us. Every evening, after our day's work was over and our meals had been taken, we used to meet together and enjoy good chats, stories and jokes. So time passed merrily. Once the partridge went with other birds to some place for eating the ripe paddy standing in the fields ready for harvest and did not return at the usual time. Sorrowing because of separation from him, I thought, " Alas, why is it that my friend the partridge has not returned to-day? Has be been caught in some net, or has he been killed by some wretch ?". 

Grieving thus, I searched for him far and wide for many days in the vicinity, but in vain. Then a hare called Sighraga came one evening and occupied the hole formerly occupied by the partridge. As I had lost all hope of the partridge's return, I did not prevent this occupation by the hare. Some days later, the partridge, grown enormously fat by sumptuous feeding on ripe paddy, returned to his former abode- Well has it been said, ' That happiness which- people enjoy in their own country, town and house, though it is attended with poverty and appears to be poor to others, is to those people never obtained even in heaven.' Seeing the hare in his hole, the partridge said revilingly, ' Oh hare, it is not proper on your part you should have entered my abode and occupied it. So get away forthwith.'

The hare replied, ' Oh fool, are you such an ignoramus as not to know that a house will not become yours merely by your having lived there for some time in the past?' The partridge said, 'All right. Let us ask the neighbours. The lawyers say "Manu says that a tank, a well, a lake, a bouse and a garden are to be allotted according to the evidence of the neighbours. In disputes regarding houses,, fields, wells, and gardens the evidence of the neighbours is the best basis to go upon and will decide them one way or the other." The hare said, ' Oh fool, have you never heard the real opinions of the great lawgivers ? Here they are. Listen. " No one can assert one's ownership to a well, a pond, a lake, a temple and a tree after having once abandoned it. Mere possession is conclusive proof of ownership in cases where houses etc., are occupied for ten years in the presence of the owner; neither witnesses nor documents of title will avail against it. This is the rule prescribed by sages for men. In the case of the lower animals and birds, the ownership lasts only as long as they or their young ones live therein." So, even if this hole was yours once it ceased to be yours the moment you abandoned it and I made it my abode. It is my abode now and you have no right to it.' The partridge said, ' Oh, if you rely on the rules of law, come with me and let us ask persons learned in the law. Let us abide by their decision whether it be in your favour or in mine.' The hare said, ' Be it so.' 

The two then went out to ask a competent person to adjudicate on their dispute. I too, impelled by curiosity, followed them thinking ' Let me see what happens.' When they had not gone far, the hare said to the partridge ' Friend, whom are you going to approach for settling our dispute?' The bird replied, 'The cat Dadhikarna. He is of ascetic habits and is full of virtues and mercy though he was once a fierce jungle cat and even now retains the sharp teeth of the old unregenerate days* He is living in yonder sand-hills on the banks of the sacred Ganges, doing penance for his past misdeeds and for his soul's salvation. Fine breezes blow there, and the waters of the sacred river roll in high waves which fall near the sandbanks with a roar.' 

Soon they reached the spot. Beholding the muscular form of the jungle cat and his fine sharp teeth and gleaming eyes from afar, the hare was frightened in the bottom of his heart and said to the partridge, ' What is the use of consulting this mean and designing wretch ? It has been said, " The fraudulent asceticism of a rogue is not to be trusted. Such fraudulent ascetics, such parasitic hypocrites, are to be found at every sacred river".

Hearing these words, Dadhikarna, who had taken the guise of an ascetic only in order to fill his belly with ease, resolved to cheat the two disputants into believing in him implicitly. So he shut his eyes, faced the sun, touched the ground with only half his foot, raised his arm aloft, and with a serene face and even voice delivered this moral sermon. ' Hear, ye seekers of the truth. This existence is most worthless. Life perishes in the twinkling of an eye. The pleasures with one's beloved are unreal like phantoms in a dream. Wife, sons, family, these are like the products of legerdemain. So there is no path except that of Dharma. It has been said, ''He who passes his days without doing acts of righteousness does not live though he breathes since his breathing is only like the rising and falling of the blacksmith's bellows. Learning divorced from virtue is as useless as a dog's tail which is not useful either for whisking off the fleas or for covering the private parts. They whose ideal is not righteousness are like the tares among the corn, the dung-eating pee-wit among birds, and the mosquitoes among living beings. Flowers and fruits are the real beauty of a tree, ghee is the essence of curds, the oil is the essence of the oil cake, and righteousness is the essence of men." Men who are created to follow righteousness become, when devoid of it, mere beasts eating food and excreting urine and excreta. Doctors of politics praise patience and perseverance in all actions. But in religion, though the path is very difficult the action has to be done speedily like giving charity without a second thought. Briefly have I thus described to you, Oh hearers, the path of righteousness. 

Why waste words? Good done to others accrues merit while evil done to others accumulates sin. Let this alone be clearly understood by you as the essence of righteousness, and acted upon. You may do things which inflict injury on you for benefiting others. But you should never do things which inflict injury on others for benefiting yourself.' Hearing these noble words, the bare said, 'O partridge, you are right. This cat is indeed a veritable ascetic and an embodiment of righteousness. I was mistaken by mere appearance. His words have fully reassured me. Let us ask him to settle our dispute.' 'Right' said the partridge. 'But as he is a jungle cat and the hereditary enemy of both our races let us stand at a safe distance and question him'.

Then both of them stood at a distance and addressed the cat, ' O venerable hermit, Oh preacher of religion, there is a dispute between us. Please settle it according to the sacred laws of which you are such a master- He among us who is found to be the frivolously contesting party consents to be eaten by you.' The cat replied, 'Friends, don't talk to me thus. I have long ago given up the damnable act of killing and eating other animals since it is the path leading to Hell. It has been said, "As abstinence from inflicting any injury is the foremost thing in religion, so one should not kill even such creatures as lice, bugs and gnats. Even he who kills only carnivorous animals which kill others is said to be a sinner and is condemned to horrible hell. How then can one who kills unoffending creatures escape hell" Even those who kill animals at sacrifices are veritable fools who have not understood the real meaning of the Vedas. It has been said, "Aja must be offered as sacrifice." These stupid fools do not know that the real meaning of the word, "Aja" is not "goats," as they in their folly 'interpret, but a kind of paddy which takes seven years to mature. This paddy is so troublesome to cultivate that it has now ceased to be cultivated and is therefore unknown to all except adept research scholars like me. It has been said, " If by cutting down trees, killing animals and shedding blood, one can go to heaven, what act is there by doing which a man will go to hell ?" Have these fools thought about it ? Well, leaving that aside, it is absurd on your part to suggest that I should eat up the defeated party. I shall do no such thing. 

I want merely to do my duty and decide your dispute to the best of my lights. I am old and a bit deaf and so cannot hear what you say from that distance. So, how can I decide your dispute one way or the other ? Kindly therefore come close to me- and state your case. Having thus known the truth of the case I can deliver a correct decision and escape all trouble in the next world. It has been said, 'He who from either pride or avarice or anger or fear decides a case wrongly or unjustly goes to hell. He who utters a falsehood regarding a horse incurs the sin of killing a horse, he who does so regarding a cow incurs the sin of killing ten cows, he who does so regarding a daughter incurs the sin of killing a hundred daughters, and he who does so regarding a man incurs the sin of killing a thousand men. He who does not give out his own decision or a correct decision from the Judgment seat should be shunned even from afar." So, trusting in me, come close to me and state your case,' Why waste words ? Quickly believing in the deceitful wretch's words, those two fools, the hare and the partridge, went close to him. The wicked cat swooped on both at the same time, one with his paws and the other with his saw-like teeth and killed and ate both of them.