Mahachataraka
was a jackal living in a forest. One day, he found the body of an elephant and
was happy that it would have food for many days. However, he was not able to
bite into the thick hide of the elephant and was circling around the body when
a lion came that way. The jackal humbly prostrated before the lion and said,
My lord, I am your obedient servant. At your command, I am keeping a vigil on
the body of the elephant. Please help yourself.
The
lion said, You know my friend, I do not eat something others have killed. You
may take it as my gift to you.
I am
touched by your magnanimity, my lord, said the jackal.
After
the lion had left, a tiger came on the scene. The jackal thought, I got rid of
one menace through humility. How do I escape this fellow? He will not yield to
any strategy I know. The only way of keeping him at bay is cunning. Let me try
it.
The
jackal then went half way to greet the tiger and said, O uncle, why are you
entering this area of death? The lion has killed this elephant and asked me to
keep watch on it. He has gone to take bath. Before going, he told me to inform
him if any tiger happened to come here. He vowed to kill all the tigers because
long time ago a tiger had nibbled at an elephant he had killed. He told me that
from that day he had sworn to kill all tigers.
These
words frightened the tiger.
He
told the jackal, Son, save my life. When the lion comes, dont tell him I had
come this way. Please.
On
receiving an assurance from the jackal, the tiger hurriedly left the scene.
Then came a leopard.
The
Jackal thought, This fellow has strong and sharp teeth. I will persuade him to
pierce the hide of the elephant.
Addressing
the leopard, the jackal said, My son, you have come this way after a long
time. You seem to be hungry. Why dont you be my guest? See this body of the
elephant killed by the lion. He has asked me to keep an eye on the body. So,
have a feast before he returns.
The
leopard said, Uncle, how can I accept your invitation. If I want to live long
I should not touch this elephant. I will leave now.
The
jackal assured him, Dont worry, you go ahead. I will alert you when the lion
comes.
The
leopard then began attacking the elephant and when he tore the hide, the jackal
cried, Run. The lion is coming.
In
this way, the jackal managed to get rid of the leopard also.
When
the jackal began feasting on the elephant flesh, another jackal came that way.
He was very angry and looked very strong. The first jackal remembered the last
line of the stanza crush equals with power and attacked the trespasser with
great ferocity and killed him.
Raktamukha
told Karalamukha, In the manner of the jackal in the story, you also kill that
encroaching croc. Otherwise, it will be your end. But you must be wary like
Chitranga, the dog, of your own kith and kin.
Who
is this Chitranga? Can I learn anything from his story, asked the croc.
Why
not? said the monkey and began telling him the story of Chitranga.
Chitranga
was a dog living in a city in the south visited by famine for many years. Dogs
began dying by the hundreds because there was no food. There was a danger that
they would disappear as species. So, Chitranga left that city and came to a
far-off city in search of food. There he found the house of a wealthy man whose
wife was a lazy and careless woman who would not close the doors of the house.
Every
day, Chitranga would sneak into the open house and have his fill. But he really
could not enjoy his food because as soon as he came out of the house, street
mongrels attacked him and severely wounded him.
Chitranga
thought, Oh, I made a mistake in coming here. Home was better even if there
was no food. There was no struggle like this for food. Let me go home.
In the
end, Chitranga left that city and returned home.
Seeing
him return from abroad, Chitrangas friends asked him, Tell us everything
about the country you have visited. How are the people there? What is their
culture?
The
dog said, The less said the better about that country. Everything is freely
available because the women are careless. Yet your own kith and kin deprive you
of this joy.
The
croc was then impressed by the monkeys good advice and decided to fight the
encroaching croc. He fought his enemy with great valour and killed him and
regained the house occupied by him. The elders have said:
There is no true happiness in
What you get without effort.
Even an old bullock survives
On food that comes his way.
Thus ended the dialogue between Raktamukha and Karalamukha. With that
ends the fourth Tantra of Vishnu Sarma.
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