A
great bird named Bharunda lived on the banks of alake. He had two heads but a
single body. One day,as the bird was wandering on the bank of the lake, he
found a fruit, which was as delicious as ambrosia. One of his heads mumbled,
Oh what a fruit. I am sure the heavens have sent it for me. I am so lucky.
Hearing
this, the second head said, O brother, let me also taste the fruit you are
praising so much.
The
first head laughed and said, Both of us have the same stomach. It makes no
difference whether I eat it or you eat it. I shall give it to our beloved. She
will be very happy. Bharunda thus gave the fruit to his wife. The second head
was disappointed at this action of the first head.
One
day, the second head found a poisonous fruit and told the first head, You
treacherous fellow. For what you have done to me, I will eat this poisonous
fruit and avenge your insult.
The
second head said, You fool, if you eat that, both of us will die because we
have the same body.
Ignoring
his warning, the second head ate the poisonous fruit and both of them died.
After
listening to the story, Chakradhara said, Friend, what you say is true. You
can go home but dont go alone. Havent our elders said:
Alone, do not eat delicious food,
Do not sleep when others are awake,
Neither should you travel alone
Nor ponder alone over matters.
See
how the Brahmin has survived because he had heeded his mothers advice and took
a crab as his travelling companion.
How
was that? asked Suvarnasiddhi.
Brahmadatta
was a Brahmin boy living in a city with his old mother. One day, when he was
planning to travel to another village, his mother told him not to travel alone
but take someone with him. The boy said that the way to the village was safe
and that he was leaving on an urgent business. He asked her not to be afraid.
Knowing
that he was determined to go, the mother went to the well in the backyard and
took out a crab and asked his son to keep the crab with him during his travel.
The boy then put the crab in a camphor box and put that box in a vessel and set
out on his journey. That being summer, the day was very hot and the Brahmin
halted and took rest under a big tree.
From
the hollow of the tree, a snake emerged and, attracted by the fragrance of
camphor, swallowed the box containing the crab. The crab came out of the box
and sliced the head of the snake and killed him. The Brahmin boy woke and found
the dead snake and the camphor box. When he saw the crab coming out of the box alive,
he at once realised what had happened.
He
then remembered the words of his mother and thought he did well by heeding her
advice that saved him from death. He also recalled the words of the elders:
Those who feed on the rich
Do not help them in distress.
When their wealth is in tact
Everyone hovers around the rich.
Chakradhara
concluded his story telling Suvarnasiddhi how important to always have a
companion. He then agreed to Suvarnasiddhi taking leave of him.
Thus
ends the fifth strategy Vishnu Sharman narrated to the sons of Amarashakti.
|
| | |
|
|
|
|