Tenali Ramali and the Two Thieves

Tenali Ramalingam And the Two Thieves
It was the practice of King Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu to visit the jails once a while and review the living standards of the convicted. During one of his visits, two of the jail inmates pleaded for cutting down their punishment period.
They explained that theft was one of the 64 arts in the epics and Vedas and started defining the art of stealing. However, they argued that they would shed the lifestyle and shift for one or the other profession to eke out their living. Rayalu thought for a moment brushing his moustache royally.
“It’s alright thieves. First let me know about your expertise in the art and then decide. You both have to burgle at Ramalinga’s house and return. If you emerge successful, then you will be set free immediately” Rayalu ordered them. “Hey you both listen. You should not deliver any physical blows to the households, take care” he added one condition.
The same night they were ‘officially’ let out for robbing Ramalinga’s residence. Ramalinga was nurturing a beautiful backyard garden fondly. The thieves’ duo crossed over the backyard compound wall and took shelter in the bean bushes to watch the surroundings first.
Ramalinga was not just another ordinary man in the crowd. He spotted the duo hiding in the bushes. He called his wife loudly, “My dear wife! Come here fast. The whole town is on fire with the news about some convicts jumping jail and are said to be at large well within the town. We should immediately protect all our jewellery and other valuables…” watching carefully around the bushes, increasing the pitch “…bring that bundle with all our gold and jewellery.”
A minute later, Ramalinga and his wife with great effort brought a heavy bundle into the backyard and dropped it into the well. Dhhhhhhhhhhhabbbb….spppppplsh sounds of a heavy weight dropping into the water in the well echoed for few seconds. The thieves looked at each other with sparkles in their eyes.

They never thought it would be so easy to rob Ramalinga. Meanwhile, the couple went inside the house and closed the door. After sometime, snores were heard from the bedroom of the house. Slowly the thieves drew themselves out of the bushes, taking care they do not make any noise and went close to the well. While one of them stood guard, the other one slipped into the well. In a minute, the thief came out of the well and discussed with the other that there is much water in the well. The jewellery bundle cannot be taken out as it is. It would be better if some water was drawn out to snatch away the bundle, they decided.
Immediately they started drawing water from the well one after the other bucket. Water started flowing continuously in the backyard spreading all the ways. In the shade of trees and darkness, Ramalinga covering his head with a shawl took one farm tool and started guiding the water to the plants and trees in the yard. As it was too dark and the thieves were concentrating on drawing the water alone, they did not notice Ramalinga doing this.
After drawing water from the well for three to four hours continuously, the thieves were tired. One of them again went into the well and came back, “You, come I need help to bring the bundle out, it is too heavy.” Both of them slipped into the well together again. With great effort both of them brought the bundle out and fell on the ground like logs of woods after opening it.
To their dismay, it was not a bundle of jewellery but a bundle of small boulders and rocks. They never understood until then that Ramalinga hid his precious items somewhere in the house and dropped this into the well.
Ramalinga called them, “Hey dear thieves! Please draw few more buckets of water from the well. Only two of the plants are to be watered. Please hurry up it is close to dawn. Kindly help me quick and little more” like sprinkling chillies on the wounds of burglars.
Both of them were stunned on hearing Ramalinga’s voice. They told each other, “Run! It is Ramalinga!” and sped away crossing the wall with all the tired bodies.
The so-called argument of the thieves about the art of stealing and their expertise did not work on Ramalinga at least.

Ramalinga and Ramayana Recital

Vikrama Simhapuri (presently Nellore town) was part of Vijaya Nagar Empire under the rule of Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu. This place was famous for wicked and cunning women. These women with their uncommon intelligence added to their beauty and appeal used to defeat scholars and experts to transform as their domestic slaves and servants.

A prostitute Kanchana Mala among them was too notorious in this regard. In the name of satisfying Ramayana recital, she framed twisty and wicked rules, which made all the competitors lose in their ‘battle’ against the woman. The lady’s “reputation” along with her condition filled Ramayana recital issue spread all over the region and no one was dared to step into her house to compete with her. In case any one ventured, lured by the stunning beauty of Kanchana Mala they too were definite to lose and become either a slave or a servant to her.

One day, Ramalinga visited Vikrama Simhapuri on his personal accomplishments. Completing his job, he sat with some scholars, reputed persons of the locality, and enquired about the happenings and specialities of the town. The gathering in a synchronised tone explained Ramalinga about Kanchana Mala and her urge for satisfactory recital of Ramayana epic. One of the associates there said that, “it was her celestial beauty and the quantity of reward that was driving scholars to her, who are finally seen serving her losing the competition.”
One of the senior and aged poet of the region told Tenali Ramalinga cursing her, “she is not at all a woman, and she is wicked of the wicked. It is you, the right person, to defeat and smash her proudness.”

He continued, “You should teach her a right lesson and release all the scholars suffering in her service.”

Ramalinga thought, ‘Oh! Kanchana Mala is that highly impious.’ He said to the persons around him, “That being the case, I should definitely compete with her…by the way…what is the test she is winning on?” he questioned. One of them explained that she demands the competitor to recite Ramayana and satisfy her. Every time she says the recital was not satisfactory and orders the competitor to become her slave.” “Poor fellows, what they can do? The condition of the test was to take out a word ‘satisfied’ from her after the performance.”

“Enough! It is alright!” Ramalinga told all of them, “She just needs to be satisfied with a Ramayana concert, I will do it. One of you keep her informed about my willingness to satisfy her” Ramalinga said and headed towards his accommodation. Not one, but all of them got up to inform Kanchana Mala about Ramalinga’s compliance to recite Ramayana at her residence thinking, ‘Yes! Now the time has come for breaking her.’

Ramalinga, in the evening attired in a disguise went to Kanchana Mala’s residence. “Welcome! Hearty Welcome! O learned man, Welcome” Kanchana Mala invited him.
He told Mala, “I have come to recite Ramayana as if it is happening in front of your eyes.”
“That was good. Then, are you aware of the reward and punishments?” Mala questioned.

“I am aware of those Kanchana Mala! I have a request…” paused Ramalinga. “Please tell me Sir”

Mala immediately responded, “Before I complete the total recital you should not say anything. You should do what ever I say as part of the presentation. After I complete the narration you can reward me if you are ‘satisfied’ or punish otherwise” Ramalinga sarcastically stated. She agreed to it and the story began.

Ramalinga started with the birth of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha, and Sathrughna. It continued with Rama Lakshmana accompanying with Sage Vishwamithra to protect the celestial sacrifice, killing Thataka, releasing Ahalya from curse, Rama’s marriage with Seetha breaking Lord Shiva’s bow, and Rama’s migration to forests along with Seetha and Lakshmana on stepmother Kaika’s wish.

Ramalinga was narrating the episodes with an excellent expression and mannerism in a right modulation. Nowhere, Kanchana Mala looked to be satisfied as she was commenting ‘You are not satisfying me.’ He advanced with the story narration about Ravanasura kidnapping Seetha, Rama killing Vali, deploying Hanuman to Lanka with the assistance of Sugreeva. Again Mala screamed, “I am not satisfied with your performance.”

Controlling himself from exploding with anger, Ramalinga convinced her “Kanchana Mala! You are telling me that you are not satisfied with my performance. However, this would be the best of performance on earth. OK. Let us leave that. Now get ready, you will witness Ramayana happening in front of you.”

“Hehehehe…yeah please continue, I am in fact waiting for that,” she said.

Ramalinga jumped on to her selectively decorated cot and said, “This is how Hanuman jumped on to the Peak of Mahendra Mountain.” Standing erect on the bed he took another flight and landed on another cot, “Like this Hanuma jumped on to another mountain’s peak.” From there he jumped close to Kanchana Mala and started throwing powerful fists on her back, “this was how Hanuman hit Lankini, who blocked his way from entering Lanka.”

Mala started shouting to the top of her voice, “Oh God! Mother! This man is killing me.” Ramalinga in a commanding tone, “I told you not to hinder me in the middle. Now shut your mouth, Listen completely…” jumping like an ape, Ramalinga took out a lighted wisp hanging from the wall. “Hanuman returning from the Ashoka garden after visiting Seetha started torching Lanka and its men like this…” he gave fire to Mala’s clothes and ignited almost all the clothes and inflammables in the house. While Mala was attempting to extinguish fire on her clothes, Ramalinga repeated beating her all over stating that was how Hanuman thumped the demons in Lanka. Mala other than shouting loudly and protecting her from the fire could not do anything.
Few seconds later, after lighting all the household material, Ramalinga coolly went to the backyard stood near the well, “this is how Hanuman put out the fire set to his tail by the demons” and started taking bath drawing water from the well.

Looking at the house in fire, Kanchana Mala went astray and ran out of the house like a mad woman. Ramalinga’s sarcastic comments irked her further more, “Who else can narrate Ramayana so lively Kanchana Mala, did you enjoy that?”

Cursing, yelling, screaming Kanchana Mala said, “fraud, cheat, he said he will recite Ramayana for me and set the house on fire.” With disturbed clothes and hair, she ran to he local Court of Law and approached the judge. She sought justice from the judge explaining the whole episode. Meanwhile, Ramalinga reached there without any tension appearing on his face.

The Judge questioned Ramalinga, “What is your answer to her allegations?” Ramalinga folded hands at the Judge and appealed, “Your Majesty! I do not bear any fault with me. It was she, who wished to witness a lively Ramayana recital to her ‘satisfaction’.” Describing all the past and present deeds of Kanchana Mala, Ramalinga said, “Mr Justice! I believe I am not at fault. In case the honourable court finds any, I am ready to take the punishment.”

The Judge understood that it was the wicked and proud nature of Kanchana Mala, which brought her to this turn of life. He scolded her for cheating and humiliating scholars and learned persons in the name of Ramayana recital and rewards. The judgement made it clear that Ramalinga did not have any fault to punish and freed him. In addition to this, the verdict released all the learned men who were serving her as servants and slaves. Ramalinga received all the appreciations from the people of the town.

Story of Agasthyar - Cauvery

During the wedding of Siva with Parvathi in the Mount Kailas, the entire population, Devas and Rishis had gathered & hence the Northern land dipped down, unable to bear the weight.
Lord Siva asked Sage Agasthiar to go to the Podhigai ranges in the Southern land in order to balance the weight. (Agasthiar was very short in stature but his might was so great). Agasthiar was sad that he could not stay & witness the Lord's wedding. Siva granted that he would still be able to see the wedding from the South. From within his matted locks, he took river Cauvery & filled it in Agasthiar's kamandalam (spouted pot), bidding Cauvery to flow wherever Agasthiar pointed. Agasthiar reached the south & travelled to various Siva Sthalams.
Surapaduman was an asura, who had immense power. Indra had run away in fear from his Indralogam, reached Sirgazhi in the southern regios of India & prayed to Lord Siva. He created a beautiful garden & worshipped Lord Siva with the flowers from his garden.
But soon, Lord Varuna in fear of Surapaduman did not shower rains & Indran's garden & in fact the whole land suffered from lack of water. Sage Narada, told Indran of the river Cauvery that Lord Siva had once filled in Agasthiar's kamandalam. Indran prayed to Lord Ganesha for his help.
Ganesha took the form of a crow & sat on Agasthiar's kamandalam & toppled it. Agasthiar lifted his hands to shoo off the crow. River Cauvery, took it as a signal for her & began to flow.
The crow took the form of a small boy. Agasthiar started chasing the boy trying to strike him on his head with his knuckles. Ganesha took his original form. Agasthiar was saddened that he had tried to strike Lord Ganesha. He started striking his forehead with his knuckles. Ganesha stopped him & granted that everybody who worshipped him in this manner would be blessed with wisdom.
Another version of the same story - Ponni, as Cauvery was originally called, was disrespectful to Agasthiar when he came down south. To teach her a lesson, Agasthiar imprisoned the entire river in his kamandalam.
Ganesha on sage Narada's request came in the form of a crow and toppled the kamandalam & set the river free. Ponni was then given a new name, Cauvery (Kaveri).

Story of Gajamugasuran

There was an asura called Gajamugasuran. He did deep penance and worshipped Lord Siva, who granted him several boons, by which he became extremely powerful. He put the Devas and rishis to great trouble. He forced the Devas to do 1008 Thoeppukaranams in the morning, 1008 in the afternoon and 1008 in the evening. (Thoepukaranam means to sit down and stand up holding one's ears with crossed hands, left ear with right hand & right ear with left hand).
The Devas prayed to Lord Siva to rescue them from this evil asura. Lord Siva sent Lord Vinayaga to overcome Gajamugasuran. Vinayagar went with several weapons such as bow & arrow, sword, axe, etc. However, since Gajamugasuran had been granted the boon that he be destroyed by no weapon, none of these weapons used by Lord Vinayaga were effective. Vinayagar broke off his right tusk and used it to kill Gajamugasuran. Gajamugasuran still rushed at Vinayaga in the form of a mooshikam (small mouse). Vinayagar crushed the ego and vanity of Gajamugasuran and sat on the mooshikam. The humbled Gajamugasuran bowed before Vinayagar, who accepted the mooshikam as his vahana.
Lord Vinayaka is the source of everlasting wisdom. He crushed ego and vanity and reduced it to the size of a mooshikam and used it as his vahana. Lord Vinayagar can be pleased by doing Thoepukaranam.

THE CORRECT WAY OF THINKING

Once upon a time there were two merchants, who were friends. Both of them were getting ready for business trips to sell their merchandise, so they had to decide whether to travel together. They agreed that, since each had about 500 carts, and they were going to the same place along the same road, it would be too crowded to go at the same time.
One decided that it would be much better to go first. He thought, "The road will not be rutted by the carts, the bullocks will be able to choose the best of all the grass, we will find the best fruits and vegetables to eat, my people will appreciate my leadership and, in the end, I will be able to bargain for the best prices."
The other merchant considered carefully and realized there were advantages to going second. He thought, "My friend's carts will level the ground so we won't have to do any road work, his bullocks will eat the old rough grass and new tender shoots will spring up for mine to eat. In the same way, they will pick the old fruits and vegetables and fresh ones will grow for us to enjoy. I won't have to waste my time bargaining when I can take the price already set and make my profit." So he agreed to let his friend go first. This friend was sure he'd fooled him and gotten the best of him - so he set out first on the journey.

The merchant who went first had a troublesome time of it. They came to a wilderness called the 'Waterless Desert', which the local people said was haunted by demons. When the caravan reached the middle of it, they met a large group coming from the opposite direction. They had carts that were mud smeared and dripping with water. They had lotuses and water lilies in their hands and in the carts. The head man, who had a know-it-all attitude, said to the merchant, "Why are you carrying these heavy loads of water? In a short time you will reach that oasis on the horizon with plenty of water to drink and dates to eat. Your bullocks are tired from pulling those heavy carts filled with extra water - so throw away the water and be kind to your overworked animals!"
Even though the local people had warned them, the merchant did not realize that these were not real people, but demons in disguise. They were even in danger of being eaten by them. Being confident that they were helpful people, he followed their advice and had all his water emptied onto the ground.
As they continued on their way they found no oasis or any water at all. Some realized they'd been fooled by beings that might have been demons, and started to grumble and accuse the merchant. At the end of the day all the people were tired out. The bullocks were too weak from lack of water to pull their heavy carts. All the people and animals lay down in a haphazard manner and fell into a deep sleep. Lo and behold, during the night the demons came in their true frightening forms and gobbled up all the weak defenseless beings. When they were done there were only bones lying scattered around - not one human or animal was left alive.
After several months, the second merchant began his journey along the same way. When he arrived at the wilderness, he assembled all his people and advised them -"This is called the 'Waterless Desert' and I have heard that it is haunted by demons and ghosts. Therefore we should be careful. Since there may be poison plants and foul water, don't drink any local water without asking me." In this way they started into the desert.
After getting about half-way through, in the same way as with the first caravan, they were met by the water-soaked demons in disguise. They told them the oasis was near and they should throw away their water. But the wise merchant saw through them right away. He knew it didn't make sense to have an oasis in a place called 'Waterless Desert'. And besides, these people had bulging red eyes and an aggressive and pushy attitude, so he suspected they might be demons. He told them to leave them alone saying, "We are business men who don't throw away good water before we know where the next is coming from."
Then, seeing that his own people had doubts, the merchant said to them, "Don't believe these people, who may be demons, until we actually find water. The oasis they point to may be just an illusion or a mirage. Have you ever heard of water in this 'Waterless Desert"? Do you feel any rain-wind or see any storm clouds?" They all said, "No" , and he continued, "If we believe these strangers and throw away our water, then later we may not have any to drink or cook with - then we will be weak and thirsty- it would be easy for demons to come and rob us, or even eat us up! Therefore, until we really find water, do not waste even a drop!"
The caravan continued on its way and, that evening, reached the place where the first caravan's people and bullocks had been killed and eaten by the demons. They found the carts and human and animal bones lying all around. They recognized that the fully loaded carts and the scattered bones belonged to the former caravan. The wise merchant told certain people to stand watch around the camp during the night.
The next morning the people ate breakfast, and fed their bullocks well. They added to their goods the most valuable things left from the first caravan. So they finished their journey very successfully, and returned home safely so that they and their families could enjoy their profits.
The moral is:
"One must always be wise enough not to be fooled by tricky talk and false appearances."

THE DOG KING SILVER

Once upon time, the King of Benares went to his pleasure garden in his fancy decorated chariot. He loved this chariot, mostly because of the rich hand-worked leather belts and straps. .
On this occasion, he stayed in his pleasure garden all day long and into the evening. It was late when he finally got back to the palace. So the chariot was left outside in the compound all night, instead of being locked up properly.
During the night it rained heavily, and the leather got wet, swelled up, became soft, and gave off an odor. The pampered palace dogs smelled the delicious leather scent and came down into the compound. They chewed off and devoured the soft wet chariot straps. Before daybreak, they returned unseen to their places in the palace.
When the king woke up and came down, he saw that the leather had been chewed off and eaten by dogs. He called the servants and demanded to know how, this happened.
Since they were supposed to watch the palace dogs, the servants were afraid to blame them. Instead, they made up a story that stray dogs, the mutts and mongrels of the city, had come into the grounds through sewers and storm drains. They were the ones who had eaten the fancy leather.
The king flew into a terrible rage. He was so overcome by anger that he decided to take vengeance against all dogs. So he decreed that whenever anyone in the city saw a dog, he was to kill him or her at once!
The people began killing dogs. The dogs could not understand why suddenly they were being killed. Later that day, they learned of the king's decree. They became very frightened and retreated to the cemetery just outside the city. This was where their leader lived, the Dog King Silver.
Silver was king not because he was the biggest or strongest or toughest. He was average in size, with sleek silver fur, sparkling black eyes and alert pointed ears. He walked with great dignity, that brought admiration and respect from men as well as dogs. In his long life he had learned much, and was able to concentrate his mind on what is most important. So he became the wisest of all the dogs, as well as the one who cared most for the others. Those were the reasons he was king of the dogs.
In the cemetery, the dogs were in a panic. They were frightened to death. The Dog King Silver asked them why this was. They told him all about the chariot straps and the king's decree, and the people killing them whenever they saw them.
King Silver knew there was no way to get into the well guarded palace grounds. So he understood that the leather must have been eaten by the dogs living inside the palace.
He thought, "We dogs know that, no matter how different we may appear, somehow we are all related. So now I must make my greatest effort to save the lives of all these poor dogs, my relatives. There is no one to save them but me."
He comforted them by saying, "Do not be afraid. I will save you all. Stay here in the cemetery and don't go into the city. I will tell the King of Benares who are the thieves and who are the innocent. The truth will save us all."
Before setting out, he went to a different part of the cemetery to be alone. Having practiced goodness all his life, and trained his mind, he now concentrated very hard and filled his mind with feelings of loving-kindness. He thought, "May all dogs be well and happy, and may all dogs be safe. I go to the palace for the sake of dogs and men alike. No one shall attack or harm me."
Then the Dog King Silver began walking slowly through the streets of Benares. Because his mind was focused, he had no fear. Because of his long life of goodness, he walked with a calm dignity that demanded respect. And because of the warm glow of loving-kindness that all the people sensed, no one felt the rising of anger or any intention to harm him. Instead, they marveled as the Great Being passed, and wondered how it could be so!
It was as if the whole city were entranced. With no obstruction, the Dog King Silver walked right past the palace guards, into the royal hall of justice, and sat down calmly underneath the king's throne itself! The King of Benares was impressed by such courage and dignity. So when servants came to remove the dog, he ordered them to let him remain.
Then the Dog King Silver came out from under the throne and faced the mighty King of Benares. He bowed respectfully and asked, "Your majesty, was it you who ordered that all the dogs of the city should be killed?" "It was I," replied the king. "What crime did the dogs commit?" asked the dog king. "Dogs ate my rich beautiful chariot leather and straps." "Do you know which dogs did this?" asked King Silver. "No one knows," said the King of Benares.
"My lord," said the dog, "for a king such as you, who
wishes to be righteous, is it right to have all dogs killed in the place of the few guilty ones? Does this do justice to the innocent ones?" The king replied, as if it made perfect sense to him, "Since I do not know which dogs destroyed my leather, only by ordering the killing of all dogs can I be sure of punishing the guilty. The king must have justice!"
The Dog King Silver paused for a moment, before challenging the king with the crucial question - "My lord king, is it a fact that you have ordered all dogs to be killed, or are there some who are not to be killed?" The king suddenly became a little uneasy as he was forced to admit, before his whole court, "It is true that most dogs are to be killed, but not all. The fine pure-breeds of my palace are to be spared."
Then the dog king said, "My lord, before you said that all dogs were to be killed, in order to insure that the guilty would be punished. Now you say that your own palace dogs are to be spared. This shows that you have gone wrong in the way of prejudice. For a king who wishes to be righteous, it is wrong to favor some over others. The king's justice must be unbiased, like an honest scale. Although you have decreed an impartial death to all dogs, in fact this is only the slaughter of poor dogs. Your rich palace dogs are unjustly saved, while the poor are wrongly killed!"
Recognizing the truth of the dog king's words, the King of Benares asked, "Are you wise enough to know which dogs ate my leather straps and belts?" "Yes my lord, I do know," said he, "it could only be your own favorite palace dogs, and I can prove it." "Do so," said the king.
The dog king asked to have the palace pets brought into the hall of justice. He asked for a mixture of buttermilk and grass, and for the dogs to be made to eat it. Lo and behold, when this was done they vomited up partly digested pieces of the king's leather straps!
Then the Dog King Silver said, "My lord, no poor dogs from the city can enter the well guarded palace compound. You were blinded by prejudice. It is your dogs who are the guilty ones. Nevertheless, to kill any living being is an unwholesome thing to do. This is because of what we dogs know, but men do not seem to know - that somehow all life is related, so all living beings deserve the same respect as relatives."
The whole court was amazed by what had just taken place. The King of Benares was suddenly overcome by a rare feeling of humility. He bowed before the dog king and said, "Oh great king of dogs, I have never seen anyone such as you, one who combines perfect wisdom with great compassion. Truly, your justice is supreme. I offer my throne and the kingdom of Benares to you!"
The Enlightenment Being replied, "Arise my lord, I have no desire for a human crown. If you wish to show your respect for me, you should be a just and merciful ruler. It would help if you begin to purify your mind by practicing the 'Five Training Steps'. These are to give up entirely the five unwholesome actions: destroying life, taking what is not given, sexual wrong-doing, speaking falsely, and drunkenness."
The king followed the teachings of the wise dog king. He ruled with great respect for all living beings. He ordered that whenever he ate, all dogs, those of the palace and those of the city, were to be fed as well. This was the beginning of the faithfulness between dogs and men that has lasted to this day.
The moral is:
"Prejudice leads to injustice, wisdom leads to justice."

IGNORANCE

Once upon a time, there was a very famous priest in a very old religion. He decided it was the right day to perform the ritual sacrificing of a goat. In his ignorance, he thought this was an offering demanded by his god. He obtained an appropriate goat for the sacrifice. He ordered his servants to take the goat to the holy river and wash him and decorate him with flower garlands. Then they were to wash themselves, as part of the purification practice.
Down at the riverbank, the goat suddenly understood that today he would definitely be killed. He also became aware of his past births and deaths and rebirths. He realized that the results of his past unwholesome deeds were about to finally be completed. So he laughed an uproarious goat-laugh, like the clanging of cymbals. In the midst of his laughter, he realized another truth - that the priest, by sacrificing him, would suffer the same terrible results, due to his ignorance. So he began to cry as loudly as he had just been laughing! The servants, who were bathing in the holy river, heard first the laughing and then the crying. They were amazed. So they asked the goat, "Why did you loudly laugh and then just as loudly cry? What is the reason for this?" He replied, "I will tell you the reason. But it must be in the presence of your master, the priest." Since they were very curious, they immediately took the sacrificial goat to the priest. They explained all that had happened. The priest too, became very curious. He respectfully asked the goat, "Sir, why did you laugh so loudly, and then just as loudly cry?" The goat, remembering his past lives, said, "A long time ago, I too was a priest who, like you, was well educated in the sacred religious rites. I thought that to sacrifice a goat was a necessary offering to my god, which would benefit others, as well as myself in future rebirths. However, the true result of my action was that in my next 499 lives I myself have been beheaded!
"While being prepared for the sacrifice, I realized that today I will definitely lose my head for the 500th time. Then I will finally be free of all the results of my unwholesome deed of so long ago. The joy of this made me laugh uncontrollably. "Then I suddenly realized that you, the priest, were about to repeat the same unwholesome action, and would be doomed to the same result of having your head chopped off in your next 500 lives! So, out of compassion and sympathy, my laughter turned to tears."
The priest was afraid this goat might be right, so he said, "Well, sir goat, I will not kill you." The goat replied, "Reverend priest, even if you do not kill me, I know that today I will lose my head and finally be released from the results of my past unwholesome action." The priest said, "Don't be afraid, my fine goat. I will provide the very best protection and personally guarantee that no harm will come to you." But the goat said, "Oh priest, your protection is very weak, compared to the power of my unwholesome deed to cause its necessary results." So the priest canceled the sacrifice, and began to have doubts about killing innocent animals. He released the goat and, along with his servants, followed him in order to protect him from any danger. The goat wandered into a rocky place. He saw some tender leaves on a branch and stretched out his neck to reach them. All of a sudden a thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere. A lightning bolt struck an over-hanging rock, and cut off a sharp slab, which fell and chopped off the goat's head! He died instantly, and the thunderstorm disappeared.
Hearing of this very strange event, hundreds of local people came to the place. No one could understand how it had happened. There was also a fairy who lived in a nearby tree. He had seen all that had occurred. He appeared, gently fluttering in the air overhead. He began to teach the curious people, saying, "Look at what happened to this poor goat. This was the result of killing animals! All beings are born, and suffer through sickness, old age and death. But all wish to live, and not to die. Not seeing that all have this in common, some kill other living beings. This causes suffering also to those who kill, both now and in countless future rebirths. "Being ignorant that all deeds must cause results to the doer, some continue to kill and heap up more suffering on themselves in the future. Each time they kill, a part of themselves must also die in this present life. And the suffering continues even by rebirth in hell worlds!" Those who heard the fairy speak felt that they were very lucky indeed. They gave up their ignorant killing, and were far better off, both in this life and in pleasant rebirths.
The moral is: "Even religion can be a source of ignorance."

IMPATIENCE

Once upon a time, there was an antelope who lived in the deep forest. He ate the fruits that fell from the trees. There was one tree that had become his favorite.In the same area there was a hunter who captured and killed antelopes and deer. He put down fruit as bait under a tree. Then he waited, hiding in the branches above. He held a rope noose hanging down to the ground around the fruits. When an animal ate the fruit, the hunter tightened the noose and caught him.Early one morning the antelope came to his favorite tree in search of fruits to eat. He did not see that the hunter was hiding in it, with his noose trap ready. Even though he was hungry, the antelope was very careful. He was on the lookout for any possible danger. He saw the delicious looking ripe fruits at the foot of his favorite tree. He wondered why no animal had yet eaten any, and so he was afraid something was wrong. The hiding hunter saw the antelope approaching from a distance. Seeing him stop and take great care, he was afraid he would not be able to trap him. He was so anxious that he began throwing fruits in the direction of the antelope, trying to lure him into coming closer.

But this was a pretty smart antelope. He knew that fruits only fall straight down when they fall from trees. Since these fruits were flying towards him, he knew there was danger. So he examined the tree itself very carefully, and saw the hunter in the branches. However, he pretended not to see him. He spoke in the direction of the tree. "Oh my dear fruit tree, you used to give me your fruits by letting them fall straight down to the ground. Now, throwing them towards me, you do not act at all like a tree! Since you have changed your habits, I too will change mine. I will get my fruits from a different tree from now on, one that still acts like a tree!"
The hunter realized his mistake and saw that the antelope had outsmarted him. This angered him and he yelled out, "You may escape me this time, you clever antelope, but I'll get you next time for sure!"The antelope realized that, by getting so angry, the hunter had given himself away a second time. So he spoke in the direction of the tree again. "Not only don't you act like a tree, but you act like a hunter! You foolish humans, who live by killing animals. You do not understand that killing the innocent brings harm also to you, both in this life and by rebirth in a hell world. It is clear that we antelopes are far wiser than you. We eat fruits, we remain innocent of killing others, and we avoid the harmful results."So saying, the careful antelope leaped into the thick forest and was gone.
The moral is:
"The wise remain innocent."

ORDINATION

A very very long time ago, there were people who lived much longer than they do today. They lived many thousand years. At that time, the Enlightenment Being was born as a baby named Makhadeva. He lived 84,000 years as a child and crown prince. At the time of our story, he had been a young king for 80,000 years.One day, Makhadeva told the royal barber, "If you see any gray hair on my head, you must tell me immediately!" Of course, the barber promised to do so.
Another 4,000 years passed, until Makhadeva had been a young king for 84,000 years. Then one day, while he was cutting the king's hair, the royal barber saw just one little gray hair on all the king's head. So he said, "Oh my lord, I see one gray hair on your head." The king said, "If this be so, pull it out and put it in my hand." The barber got his golden tweezers, plucked out the single little gray hair, and put it in the king's hand.At that time, the king still had at least another 84,000 years left to live as an old king! Looking at the one gray hair in his hand, he became very afraid of dying. He felt like death was closing in on him, as if he were trapped in a burning house. He was so afraid, that the sweat rolled down his back, and he shuddered.
King Makhadeva thought, "Oh foolish king, you have wasted all this long life and now you are near death. You have made no attempt to destroy your greed and envy, to live without hating, and to get rid of your ignorance by learning the truth and becoming wise."As he thought this, his body burned and the sweat kept rolling down. Then he decided once and for all, "It is time to give up the kingship, be ordained as a monk, and practice meditation!" Thinking so, he granted the income of a whole town to the barber. It amounted to one-hundred-thousand per year.
Then the king called his oldest son to him and said, "My son, I have seen a gray hair. I have become old. I have enjoyed the worldly pleasures of great wealth and power. When I die, I want to be reborn in a heaven world, to enjoy the pleasures of the gods. So I will be ordained as a monk. You must now take the responsibility of ruling the country. I will live the life of a monk in the forest."
Hearing of this, the royal ministers and the rest of the court rushed to the king and said, "Our lord, why do you suddenly want to be ordained?"The king held up the gray hair in his hand and said, "My ministers and subjects, I have realized that this gray hair shows that the three stages of life: youth, middle age and old age; are coming to an end. This first gray hair was the messenger of death sitting on my head. Gray hairs are like angels sent by the god of death. Therefore, this very day is the time for me to be ordained."The people wept at the news of his departure. King Makhadeva gave up his royal life, went into the forest and was ordained as a monk. There he practiced what holy men call the 'Four Heavenly States of Mind'. First is loving-kindness, tender affection for all. Second is feeling sympathy and pity for all those who suffer. Third is feeling happiness for all those who are joyful. And the fourth state is balance and calm, even in the face of difficulties or troubles.
After 84,000 years of great effort meditating and practicing these states as a humble forest monk, the Bodhisatta died. He was reborn in a high heaven world, to live a life a million years long!
The moral is:
"Even a long life is too short to waste."

GOOD ADVICE

Once upon a time, there was a giant tree in the forest. Many many birds lived in this tree. And the wisest of them was their leader.
One day the leader bird saw two branches rubbing against each other. They were making wood powder come falling down. Then he noticed a tiny wisp of smoke rising from the rubbing branches. He thought, "There is no "doubt a fire is starting that may burn down the whole forest."
So the wise old leader called a meeting of all the birds living in the great tree. He told them, "My dear 'friends,, the tree, we are living in is beginning to make a fire. This fire may destroy the whole forest. Therefore, it is dangerous to stay here. Let us leave this forest at once!"
The wise birds agreed to follow his advice. So they flew -away to another forest in a different land. But the birds',who were not so wise said, "That old leader panics so easily. He imagines crocodiles in a drop of water! Why should we leave ~our comfortable' homes that have always been safe? Let the soared ones go. We will be brave and trust in our tree!"
Lo and behold, in a little while the wise leader's warning came true. The rubbing branches made sparks that fell in the dry leaves under the tree. Those sparks became flames that grew and grew. Soon the giant tree itself caught fire. The foolish birds who still lived there were blinded and choked by the smoke. Many, who could not escape, were trapped and burned to death.
The moral is:"
Those who ignore the advice of the wise, do so at their own risk."

ALL DESERVE RESPECT

Once upon a time, in the country of Gandhara in northern India, there was a city called Takkasila. In that city the Enlightenment Being was born as a certain calf. Since he was well bred for strength, he was bought by a high class rich man. He became, very fond of the gentle animal, and called him 'Delightful'. He took good care of him and fed him only the best.
When Delightful grew up into a big fine strong bull, he thought, "I was brought up by this generous man. He gave me such good food and constant care, even though sometimes there were difficulties. Now I am a big grown up bull and there is no other bull who can pull as heavy a load as I can. Therefore, I would like to use my strength to give something in return to my master."
So he said to the man, "Sir, please find some wealthy merchant who is proud of having many strong bulls. Challenge him by saying that your bull can pull one hundred heavily loaded bullock carts."
Following his advice, the high class rich man went to such a merchant and struck up a conversation. After a while, he brought up the idea of who had the strongest bull in the city. The merchant said, "Many have bulls, but no one has any as strong as mine." The rich man said, "Sir, I have a bull who can pull one-hundred heavily loaded bullock carts." "No, friend, how can there be such a bull? That is unbelievable!" said the merchant. The other replied, "I do have such a bull, and I am willing to make a bet." The merchant said, "I will bet a thousand gold coins that your bull cannot pull a hundred loaded bullock carts." So the bet was made and they agreed on a date and time for the challenge. The merchant attached together one-hundred big bullock carts. He filled them with sand and gravel to make them very heavy. The high class rich man fed the finest rice to the bull called Delightful. He bathed him and decorated him and hung a beautiful garland of flowers around his neck. Then he harnessed him to the first cart and climbed up onto it. Being so high class, he could not resist the urge to make himself seem very important. So he cracked a whip in the air, and yelled at the faithful bull, "Pull, you dumb animal! I command you to pull, you big dummy!" The bull called Delightful thought, "This challenge was my idea! I have never done anything bad to my master, and yet he insults me with such hard and harsh words!" So he remained in his place and refused to pull the carts. The merchant laughed and demanded his winnings from the bet. The high class rich man had to pay him the one-thousand gold coins. He returned home and sat down, saddened by his lost bet, and embarrassed by the blow to his pride. The bull called Delightful grazed peacefully on his way home. When he arrived, he saw his master sadly lying on his side. He asked, "Sir, why are you lying there like that? Are you sleeping? You look sad."
The man said, "I lost a thousand gold coins because of you. With such a loss, how could I sleep?" The bull replied, "Sir, you called me 'dummy'. You even cracked a whip in the air over my head. In all my life, did I ever break anything, step on anything, make a mess in the wrong place, or behave like a 'dummy' in any way?"
He answered, "No, my pet."
The bull called Delightful said,
"Then sir, why did you call me 'dumb animal', and insult me even in the presence of others? The fault is yours. I have done nothing wrong. But since I feel sorry for you, go again to the merchant and make the same bet for two-thousand gold coins. And remember to use only the respectful words I deserve so well."
Then the high class rich man went back to the merchant and made the bet for two-thousand gold coins. The merchant thought it would be easy money. Again he set up the one-hundred heavily loaded bullock carts. Again the rich man fed and bathed the bull, and hung a garland of flowers around his neck. When all was ready, the rich man touched Delightful's forehead with a lotus blossom, having given up the whip. Thinking of him as fondly as if he were his own child, he said, "My son, please do me the honor of pulling these one-hundred bullock carts."
Lo and behold, the wonderful bull pulled with all his might and dragged the heavy carts, until the last one stood in the place of the first. The merchant, with his mouth hanging open in disbelief, had to pay the two-thousand gold coins. The onlookers were so impressed that they honored the bull called Delightful with gifts. But even more important to the high class rich man than his winnings, was his valuable lesson in humility and respect.
The moral is:
"Harsh words bring no reward. Respectful words bring honor to all."

IMPORTENCE OF UNITY

Once upon a time, there was a Quail King who reigned over a flock of a thousand quails.There was also a very clever quail hunter. He knew how to make a quail call. Because this sounded just like a real quail crying for help, it never failed to attract other quails. Then the hunter covered them with a net, stuffed them in baskets, and sold them to make a living.Because he always put the safety of his flock first, Quail King was highly respected by all. While on the lookout for danger, one day he came across the hunter and saw what he did. He -thought, "This quail hunter has a good plan for destroying our relatives. I must make a better plan to save us."Then he called together his whole nation of a thousand quails. He also invited other quails to attend the meeting. He said, "Greetings to our quail nation and welcome to our visitors. We are faced with great danger. Many of our relatives are being trapped and sold by a clever hunter. Then they are being killed and eaten. I have come up with a plan to save us all. When the hunter covers us with his net, every single one of us must raise his neck at the same time. Then, all together, we should fly away with the net and drop it on a thorn bush. That will keep him busy, and we will be able to escape with our lives." All agreed to follow this smart strategy.The next day the hunter lured the quails with his quail call as usual. But when he threw his net over them, they all raised up their necks at once, flew away with the net, and dropped it on a thorn bush. He could catch no quails at all! In addition, it took him the rest of the.day to loosen his net from the thorns - so he had no time left to try again!The same thing happened on the following day. So he spent a second day unhooking his net from sharp thorns. He arrived home only to be greeted by his wife's sharp tongue! She complained, ."You used to bring home quail to eat, and money from selling quails. Now you return empty-handed. What do you do all day? You must have another wife somewhere, who is feasting on quail meat at this very moment!"The hunter replied, "Don't think such a thing, my darling. These days the quails have become very unified. They act as one, and raise up their necks and carry my net to a thorn bush. But thanks to you, my one and only wife, I know just what to do! Just as you argue with me, one day they too will argue, as relatives usually do. While they are occupied in conflict and bickering, I will trap them and bring them back to you. Then you will be pleased with me again. Until then, I must be patient."The hunter had to put up with his wife's complaints for several more days. Then one morning, after being lured by the quail call, it just so happened that one quail accidentally stepped on the head of another. He immediately got angry and squawked at her. She removed her foot from his head and said, "Please don't be angry with me. Please excuse my mistake." But he would not listen. Soon both of them were squawking and squawking, and the conflict got worse and worse!Hearing this'bickering getting louder and, louder, Quail King said, "There is no advantage in conflict. Continuing it will lead to danger!" But they just wouldn't listen.Then Quail King thought, "I'm afraid this silly conflict will keep them from cooperating to raise the net." So he commanded that all should escape. His own flock flew away at once.And it was just in time too! Suddenly the quail hunter threw his net over the remaining quails. The two arguing quails said to each other, I won't hold the net for you!" Hearing this, even some of the other quails said, "Why should I hold the net for anyone else?"
So the conflict spread like wildfire. The hunter grabbed all the quails, stuffed them in his baskets, and took them home to his wife. Of course she was overjoyed, and they invited all their friends over for a big quail feast.
The moral is:
" There is safety in unity, and danger in conflict."

BHAGAVATH GITA

1. Do not be dejected in a crisis, and exhibit weakness, faintness of heart and importance. It is ignoble, disgraceful, and debars you from heaven. (When you ought to act, you ought not to be dependent. That will never save you, but will only ruin you.)
2. Speak not words of apparent wisdom. (Arjuna was afraid to kill his own kinsmen, while willing enough to kill the innocent men who have come to fight for them out of a sheer sense of loyalty, forgetting the wise saying that to the good man the whole world is his family while to the selfish man only his narrow circle of relatives is his family.)
3. Do not weep for those who are living or for those who are dead, (The soul never dies, and the body, when it becomes useless for its progress, has to be changed to facilitate such progress. The soul is immortal, and it will be absurd to grieve for it.)
4. The soul is never born; it never dies. Never was there a time when it did not exist and never be a time hereafter when it will ceases to exit. The embodied soul passes through childhood, youth and old age, of the body, it passes after its death to another body. Weapons do not cleave it; fire does not burn it; water does not dry it. It cannot cleave; it cannot be burnt; it cannot be wetted; it cannot be dried. It is eternal, all- pervading unchangeable and immovable. It same forever and forever.
5. The body is ephemeral. What is born is sure to die and whatever dies it sure to be born again. Why then grieve for it seeing that it is inevitable? Mysterious is the origin of beings, manifest their intermediate stage and mysterious again in the end. So why grieve?
6. The unreal never is; the real is never is not
7. The bodies are transient manifestations of the eternal soul which is indestructible and incomprehensible.
8. The soul neither slays nor is slain. He who thinks it slays and he who think it is slain both of them know not correctly. It is neither slays nor slain
9. Know that the Self which pervades the whole universe has neither birth nor change and is imperishable and immutable. None can cause the destruction of this which is immutable.
10. One looks upon the soul as a marvel, another speaks of it as a marvel, still another hears of it as a marvel, but not one understands it even after hearing about it. And marvelous are they who see it, speak of it and hear of it.
11. Treat pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat, alike and fight. The spirit of a man who has conquered himself and is attuned to serenity is steadfast in cold and heat, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor.
12. In the law of Nishkamakarma (work without expect anything), no effort is ever lost, no harm is ever done. Even a little of this law will save a man from great fear.
13. The resolute mind has a single aim, but the thoughts of the irresolute are many-branched and endless.
14. Your concern is with work and not with its fruits. So never hanker after the fruit or desist from work(fearing that it will not bear fruit)
15. Work with a balanced mind giving up all attachment. Have equanimity in success and in failure. This balance of mind is called yoga.
16. Lower far is mere action, compared to work done with this balance of mind. Miserable are they who work for fruit.
17. A man of even mind discards both good and evil, and does his work in the spirit of yoga.
18. Sages of even mind who renounce the fruits of their actions are freed from the bond of birth and go released to a region where no ills exit.
19. The sense objects fall away from the embodied soul when it ceases to feed on them, but the taste for them is left behind. Even that taste disappears when the Supreme is seen.
20. Though a man be ever so wise and strive ever so much, his dangerous sense will rebel and carry away his mind by force.
21. Holding all these in check let him controlled, intent on Me. For he whose senses are under control, his wisdom is firmly set.
22. When a man dwells in his mind on the sense objects an attachment for them arises. Desire is born of the attachment. From desire is born anger; from anger comes delusion; from delusion comes failure of memory; from wrecked memory the ruin of the understanding and from the ruin of his understanding, he perishes.
23. A man who has no self- control has no comprehension. Nor can he have any power of contemplation. Without contemplation, he has no peace. When he has no peace, how can he be happy?
24. When a man’s mind is governed by the roving senses, it carries away his wisdom as a gale carries away a ship upon the waters.
25. What is night to all beings; therein the self-controlled one is awake. Where all beings are awake, that is the night of the sage who sees.
26. In this world, the twofold way of life was of old declared by me, that the knowledge for men of contemplation, and that of work for men of action.
27. No man can ever be free from Karma, and a life of action, by merely avoiding work; and no man can ever attain perfection by mere renunciation. For no man can remain without doing any work even for a moment; everyone is driven to do some work or other by the strands born of nature. Do work you are obliged to do.
28. He who restrains his organs of action but sits brooding in his mind over the objects of sense, deludes himself and is called hypocrite.
29. In the beginning, the creator created man along with sacrifice, and said,” By this shall you multiply. This shall be the Kamadhenu which shall yield to you milk of your desires. With this shall you cherish the gods, and the god will cherish you. Thus cherishing one another you will attain the highest good. For cherished by sacrifice, the god will give you pleasure you desire. He is verily a thief who enjoys the things they give without giving them anything in return. He who will not turn with this wheel thus set in motion, that parasite lives in vain a life of sin, satisfying his senses.
30. From food are all creatures born; from rain is food produced; from sacrifice comes rain; sacrifice is sprung from work.
31. The wise men should not raise a doubt in the minds of the ignorant that are attached to their work. Himself doing all the work with faith, he should make others do them as well. Those who are deluded by the strands of nature are attached to the work which those strands prompt them to do.
32. All work is really done by the Gunas born of nature. But man, deluded by the egoistic feeling of “I” thinks, “I am the doer”. But he who knows the truth about the distribution of Gunas, and the consequence action produced, says to himself, “It is the organs of sense that are occupied with the sense-objects”, and escapes attachment.
33. Dedicate all your works to Me in spirit of surrender and fix your thought on the Self, and have no desire or thought of “me” or “mine”.
34. Those who, full of faith, practice this teaching of mine, without carping or cavil are released from their work.
35. Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature. All beings, unaided, follow their nature. What can mere repression do?
36. Love and hatred naturally arise towards the objects of each sense. But one should not fall under their sway for they are his enemies.

CHANAKYA NEETHI- THE TEACHING OF CHANAKYA

1. No disease is more deadly than the sexual desire, no enemy is more dangerous than infatuation, no fire is hotter than the fire of wrath and no happiness is better than the self-knowledge.
2. Gold has no fragrance, sugarcane has no fruits and the sandalwood has no flowers. A scholar is never wealthy and a king is never long aged. Why not these prescience was given to the creator. (All good things are not perfect.)
3. Many hued birds, seated on a tree, leave for different directions in the morning. What is there to grieve about? (All get separated in the world after meeting each other. Why should this cause any grief?)
4. Whether it be big or small, we must do every work with our full capacity and power. This quality must learn from the lion. (The lion never does anything half heartedly. It would kill a rabbit or attack an elephant with its full ferocity.
5. Controlling all our senses like the heron, and after carefully considering the factors of time and space and the capacity of the self, the wise accomplish their work successfully.
6. The cock can teach us four things: get up at the right time, fight bitterly, make your brothers flee and devour their share also.
7. Stealthy copulation, collecting things and augmenting your resourcefulness from time, be alert and not believing anybody, making enough noise to make all gather round you – these five things are to be learnt from the crow.
8. Deriving satisfaction out of a little eating even in the famished condition, be alert despite being deep in slumber, faithfulness and bravery- these six qualities ought to be learnt from the dog.
9. The capacity to carry the load despite being bone-tired, being undaunted by the vagaries of weather and getting satisfied in all the conditions- these three qualities are to be learnt from the donkey.
10. Control greedy by money, the arrogant by submissiveness, the fool by preaching and the learned by telling him the reality.
11. Never trust even your good friend, let alone the vile one, for in anger your friend can expose your secrets out of vengeance.
12. Prudence lies in not disclosing to anyone the following secret: loss of one’s wealth, some personal tragedy, and suspicion on wife’s conduct, mean outpourings of vile person and the personal ignominy.
13. Wicked wife, roguish friend, impudent servant and stay in a infested house cause death. There no doubt about it.
14. The wicked burns with the fire of jealousy seeing the prosperity of others. Since he cannot progress (due to his shortcomings), he starts deriding others.
15. Meet obligation with obligation, violence with vengeance and wicked with wickedness.
16. Rear up your son affectionately till he is five year old then admonish him strictly for next ten years. When he turns sixteen’s, start treating him as your friend.
17. A women has double of appetite, four times more shyness, six times more courage, eight times more the sexual desire.(compared to man)
18. Women have a knack of talking to one man, casting an askew glance at other and loving secretly a third man. They cannot devotedly love just one man.
19. Wealth protects Dharma, Yoga protects education, suavity protects king and a good woman protects home.
20. There is no enemy than appetite.
21. A greedy man can be easily cheated.
22. Don’t argue with fools.

NARADA’S PRIDE IN MUSIC

google4901728675332ebe.htmlNarada, a great adept in music and the supreme exponent of ragas and raginies (the tunes and melodies in Indian music) was once persuaded by the flatterers to believe that he was a perfect master in them. So he went about listing to such praises everywhere, and even modestly repeated these certificates to gods and men.
Krishna watched this growing infatuation and wanted to put a stop to it. So he said to Narada, “Great sage, Siva and Parvati have heard of your perfection in music and want you to give an exhibition before them.”
Narada was highly elated. He set out the next day with Sri Krishna and proceeded to Kailasa to meet Siva and Parvati. On the way they saw a big place where several maidens of exquisite beauty were weeping and wailing. All were mutilated in one way or other. One had a eye missing, another an ear, a third an arm, a fourth a breast, a fifth a leg a sixth an eyebrow and so on.
“O Krishna,” said Narada, his whole heart bleeding for these fair maids, “which wretch has done this horrible mutilation?”
“Go and ask them.”Said Krishna
So Narada asked them, “what this place and who are you, fair sisters, and who has done this horrible thing to you?”
“Oh!” said they,” this is the place of music, and we are the ragas and raginies. A wretch called Narada has mutilated us on his Veena (Indian lute).”
Narada became ashamed. He saw Krishna smiling. “I shall break my Veena and play no more,” said he.
“Oh, no,” said Krishna, “go on playing, but realize your imperfection and tried to remedy them. Don’t believe idle flatters and think you are perfect.”
“All right, I have learnt a lesson. Please make my excuse to Siva and Parvati. I shall play before them when I have mastered the art a little better,” said Narada who had become a sadder and wise man.

BHIMA’S PRIDE OF STRENGTH

Bhīma, the second elder of Pandava brothers was very proud of his muscular strength. He believed that none could excel him in all the three worlds.
One day, Krishna took all the Pandava brothers and their wife Draupadi to heaven for sightseeing, leaving Bhima to come by himself, since he had nothing to fear from gate keepers, owing to his known ability to defeat them. Krishna took all the five in, and both the gate keepers kept quite on seeing Him.
When the party had seen everything worth seeing in Heaven, Draupadi remained Krishna that Bhīma had not still arrived.
“Perhaps, he has already killed the poor gate keepers” suggested Krishna.
Coming outside they found that gate keepers are sleeping at their posts, and poor Bhīma, with his club, getting sucked into the nostrils of one or other of them at every inspiration of theirs and being pushed out again at each expiration. The gate keepers were not so much as aware of his prescence.He there!
Poor Bhima looked a miserable sight. Krishna saw that he had been sufficiently humbled, took pity on him, woke up the gate keepers, and released him from his agony.

THE KALKI- THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED

By Hindu mythology, it is believed that Lord Vishnu’s 10th incarnation will be Kalki.
At the end of the Kali age, when Adarma is predominant, and Vice has the upper hand, and Virtue has disappeared, and men have become demons sunk in every form of debauchery, vice and wickedness, and are eagerly destroying one another, Vishnu will appeared as Kalki or Kalkin on a white horse, blazing like a meteor, and with a flaming sword, and mow them down in millions, as a farmer cuts down the weeds pitilessly to prepare the way for the new crops.
No one will be spared on the score of rank or creed or sex, the only test for the survival being Faith, Virtue, Charity and Love.

PRIDE OF TRUTH

Kausika was a great sage, very proud of his habit of always speaking out the truth, whether the matter was great or small and whether the result was good or bad. So he called himself as Kausika Satyavadin, the speaker of truth. One day, when he was doing penance in his forest grove, he saw a traveler fleeing in panic and hiding in dense bush in the neighborhood. There were hundreds of bushes all round, and tracking him out would have taken hours.
A dozen robbers also came to the spot in ten minutes, aimlessly searching for the man everywhere; up the trees, and in the pits, and along the footpaths. Then they saw Kausika and knew him at once.
“Reversed Sir” said the chief of the robber” did you see a traveler go this way? You are famous for speaking the truth at all costs. Speak”
Kausika thought, if I speak the truth, these cruel men will kill the poor fellow. But, why should I utter a lie and sacrifice the principles of life time for his sake? And he told the robber chief, “There he is, in the bush.” The robbers pulled the traveler out, killed him despite the sage’s entreaties, and took away all he had.
When Kausika died, instead of being sent to heaven, as he had expected, he found himself in hell. Indignantly he asked Yama, the God of Death “Why am I here?”
The lord said,” You have been condemned to thousand years in Hell for your telling the robbers the hiding place of the traveler and letting him to kill.”
“What” said Kausika,”Why should I condemn for speaking the truth?”
“You should not deviate from truth,” said Yama, “If he is enough strong to prevent injustice. God can always speak truth as He is powerful to prevent its consequence. Else, he must refuse to speak the truth and take the justice. Where was the necessity for you to be so truthful about that poor man’s hiding place, knowing, as you did, that they would pull him out and kill him, and that would be powerless to prevent the deed? You should have remained silent and taken the risk of being killed yourself. The robber might never have found the man at all. For the sake of your vanity, you spoke the truth, and this is the punishment. None but the brave can utter the truth always,”
Kausika was then sent back to hell.

THE STORY OF NIRSIMHA – HALF LINE HALF MAN

Hiranyakashibu was the king of the Daityas. The Daityas, though born of the same parentage as the Devas or god, were always at war with the latter.Sometmes they waxed and drove all the Devas from the Heaven, and seized the throne of the god and ruled for a time. Then the Devas prayed to Vishnu, the omnipotent lord of the universe, and He helped them out of their difficulty. The Daityas were driven out, and once more the god reigned.
Hiranyakashibu had won the boom from Brahma, the God of Creation that he will never be killed by a man or animal or any existing creature, on heaven or earth, in day or night and inside or outside of the house. Now he conquered the Devas and himself on the throne of heaven.
He declared himself to be the god of three worlds- the middle world inhabited by men and animal; the heaven inherited by Devas and the nether world, inhabited by the Daityas. He proclaimed that there was no other God but himself, and strictly enjoined that the Omnipotent Vishnu should have no worship offered to Him anywhere.
Hiranyakashibu had a son called Prahlada. He showed his infancy to Vishnu. The king of Daityas, fearing that the evil he wanted to drive away from the world would crop up in his own family.
He made over his son two teachers called Shanda and Amarka, who were very stern disciplinarians, with strict injunctions that Prahlada was never to even hear the name Vishnu mentioned. But there is no use.
To clear themselves, the teachers told the terrible fact to the King that his son was not only worshipping Vishnu himself, but also spoiling all the other children by them to worship Vishnu.
The monarch became very much enraged when heard this and call the boy in his prescence.He tried by gentle persuasions to dissuade Prahlada from the worship of Vishnu and taught him that he was only God to worship. But it was no purpose. The child declared again and again that the Omnipresent Vishnu, Lord of the Universe, was the only being to be worshipped-for even he, the king, held his throne only so long as it pleased Vishnu.
The rage of the King no bound, and he ordered the boy to be immediately killed. So the Daityas stuck him with pointed weapons; but Prahladha’s mind was so intent upon Vishnu that he felt no pain from them.
When his father, the king, saw that it was so, he became frightened but, roused to the worst passion of Daitya, contrived various diabolical means to kill the boy. He ordered him to be trampled underfoot by an elephant. The enraged elephant could not crush the body any more than he could crush a block of iron.
Then the king ordered the boy to be thrown over a precipice, and this order too was duly carried out; but, as Vishnu resided in the heart of Prahlada, he came down upon the earth as gently as a flower drops upon the grass. Poison, fire, starvation, throwing into a well, enchantments and other measures were then tried on the child one after another, but no purpose.
When the king found to his horror that all mortal means of getting rid of the boy who was perfectly devoted to his enemy, the God Vishnu, were powerless, he was at a loss to know what to do. The King again brought before him and tried to persuade him to listen to his advice, but Prahlada made the same reply.
He put him again under the charge of the teachers, Shanda and Amarka. But those teachings did not appeal to Prahlada and he spent time in instructing his schoolmates in the path of devotion to the Lord Vishnu.
When his father came to hear about it, he again become furious with rage, and calling the boy to him, and threatened to kill him, and abused Vishnu in the worst language. But Prahlada still insisted that Vishnu was the Lord of the universe, the Beginning less, the Endless, the Omnipotent and the Omnipresent, and as such, he alone was to be worshipped.
The king roared with anger and said: “You evil one, if your Vishnu is God omnipresent, why did he not reside in that pillar? “
Prahlada humbly submitted that He did do so. “If so, “cried the king, “let him defend me; I will kill him with this sword.” Thus saying the king rushed at him with sword in hand, and dealt terrible blow at the pillar.
Instantly a thundering voice was heared, and lo and behold, there issued forth from the pillar Vishnu in His awful Nirsimha form- half lion, half man! Panic- stricken, the Daityas ran away in all direction.
Man-Lion, neither man nor God nor animal, and seizing the terrified Hiranyakashibu tore his rectum and pulled out his entrails with its claws. Thus he died without any weapon also being used against him. All his boons proved broken reeds in the end.
The God, in Nirsimha form consoled the weeping Prahlada and his mother. He blessed Prahlada and disappeared. Then the Gods headed by Brahma installed Prahlada on the throne of the Daityas.

LORD BUDDHA

By Swami Vivekananda
In every religion we find one type of self-devotion particularly developed. The type of working without a motive is highly developed in Buddhism. Buddhism is one of our sects. It was founded by a great man called Gautama, who became disgusted at the eternal metaphysical discussions of his day, and the cumbrous rituals, and more especially with the caste system. Some people say that we are born to a certain state, and therefore we are superior to others who are not thus born. He was also against the tremendous priest craft. He preached a religion in which there was no motive power, and was perfectly agnostic about metaphysics or theories about God.
He was often asked if there was a God, and he answered, he did not know. When asked about right conduct, he would replay, “Do good and be good.” There came five Brahmins, who asked him to settle their discussion. One said, “Lord, my book says that God is such and such, and this is the way to come to god.”Another said, “That is wrong, for my book says such and such, and this is the way to come to god”; and so the others. He listened calmly to all of them, and then asked them one by one, “Does any one of your books say that God becomes angry, that He ever injures anyone, that he is impure?” “No, my Lord, they all teach that God is pure and good.” “Then, my friends, why do you not become pure and good first, that you may know what God is?”
He was the only man who bereft of all motive power. There were other great men who all said they were the Incarnation of God himself, and those who would believe in them would go to heaven. But what did Buddha say with his dying breath? “None can help you; help yourself; work your own salvation.”He said about himself, Buddha is the name of infinite knowledge, infinite as sky ; I, Gautama have reached that state; you will all reached this state; you will all reach that too if you struggle for it.” Bereft of all motive power, he did not want to go to heaven, did not want money; he gave up his throne and everything else and went about begging his bread through the streets of India, preaching for the good of men with a heart as wide as the ocean.
He once said to a King, “If the sacrifice of a lamb helps you to go to heaven, sacrificing a man will help you better; so sacrifice me.”The king was astonished. He stands as the perfection of the active type, and very height to which he attained shows that throw the power of work we can also attains to the highest spirituality.
The life of Buddha shows that even a man who does not believe in God, has no metaphysics, belongs to no sect, and does not go to any church, or temple, and is confessed materialist, even he can attain to the highest. We have no right to judge him. He reached the same state of perfection to which others come by Bhakti- love of God, Yoga or Jnana. Perfection does not come from belief or faith. Talk does not count for anything. Perfection comes through the disinterested performance of action.

THE STORY OF SATYAVAN & SAVITRI

This story is taken from India’s great epic Mahabharata. During the forest life of Pandava brothers, great sages come to see the brothers and narrated to them to make them bear lightly the burden of their exile.
There was a king called Ashvapati. The king had a daughter called Savitri, who was so good and beautiful. When she grew old enough, her father asked her to choose a husband for herself. These ancient Indian princesses were independent to choose their own princely suitors.
Savitri travelled in distant regions and seeing different prince, but not one of them could win the heart of Savitri. They came at last to a holy hermitage in one of the forests in ancient India were no animals were allowed to kill. The animals lost the fear of man- even the fish in the lakes came and took food out of the hand. Not even the greatest empire could pass by the hermitage without going to pay homage to the sages.
Now it happened that there was a king, Dyumatsena who was defeated by his enemies and was deprived of his kingdom when he was struck with age and had lost his sight. This poor old, blind, king, with his queen and his son, Satyavan took refuge in the forest. Savitri came to this hermitage and saw Satyavan, the hermit’s son and her heart was conquered.
When savitri returned to her palace, she said to her father about Satyavan, the hermit’s son. On hearing this father consulted the sage Narada; he declared it was the most ill-omned choice that was ever made. The king then asked him why it was so. And Narada said, “Within twelve months from this time the young man will die.”
Then king was started with terror and spoke, “this young is going to die in twelve months, you will become the widow: think of that. Desist from your choice, my child, you shall never be married to a short-lived and fated bridge groom.” “Never mind father; do not ask me to marry another person and sacrifice the chastity of mind, for I love and have accepted in my mind that good and brave Satyavan only as my husband. A maiden chooses only once, and she never departs from her troth.” When the king found that Savitri was resolute in mind and resolute in mind and heart, he complied.
Then Savitri married prince Satyavan, and she went from the palace of her father into the forest, to live with her father into the forest to live with her chosen husband, and help her husband’s parents. Though Savitri knew the exact date when Satyavan was to die, she kept it hidden from him. Also she kept her as virgin.
Thus their lives went on until the fatal day came near, and three short days remained only. She took a severe vow of three nights penance and holy fasts, and kept her heart vigils. Savitri spent sorrowful and sleepless nights with fervent prayers and unseen tears, till the dreaded morning dawned.
That day Savitri could not bear him out of her sight, even for a moment. When her husband went to gather usual herbs and fuel, she also accompanied her. Suddenly in faltering accent he complained to his wife of feeling faint, “My head is dizzy and my sense reel, dear savitri, I feel sleep stealing over me, let me rest beside you for a while.”
In fear and trembling she replied, “Come, lay your head upon my lap.” He laid his burning head in the lap of his wife, and ere long sighed and expired. Clasping him to her, her eyes flowing with tears, there sat in the lonesome forest, until the emissaries of death approached to take away the soul of Satyavan.
But they could not come near to the place where savitri sat with the dead body of her husband, his head resting in her lap. There was a zone of fire surrounding her, and not one of the emissaries of death come within it. They fled back from it, returned to king Yama, the God of Death, and told him why they could not obtain the soul of this man.
Then Yama came, the God of Death, and the judge of the dead. He was the first man that died – the first man that died on the earth- and he had become the presiding deity over all those that die. He judge whether, after a man that has died, he is punished or rewarded. So he came himself. Of course, he would go inside the charmed circle, as he was a God.
When he came to Savitri, he said, “Daughter, give up this dead body, for know death is the fate of mortals, and I am the first of mortals who died. Since then, everyone had to die. Death is the fate of man.” Thus told Savitri walked off, and Yama drew the soul out.
Yama having himself of the soul of the young man proceeded on his way. Before he had gone far, he heard the footfalls upon the dried leaves. He turned back. “Savitri, daughter, why are you following me? This is the fate of all mortals.” I am not following you, my lord,” replied Savitri,” but this is also the fate of women, she follows her love take her and the eternal law not separating loving man and faithful wife.”
Then said the God of Death, “your answer pleased me, ask for any boom, expect your husband life”
“If you pleased to grant a boom, O Lord of Death, I ask that my father in law may be cured of his blindness and made him happy.”
He granted and again travelled with the soul of Satyavan. Again the same footfall was heard from behind. He looked around.” Savitri, my daughter, you still following me.”
“Yes my Lord; I cannot help doing so, I am trying all the time to go back, but the mind goes after my husband and the body follows. The soul has already gone, for in that soul is also mine; and when you take the soul, the body follows, does it not?”
“Pleased am I with your words, fair Savitri. Ask another boom of me, but it must not me the life of your husband.”
“Let my father in law regain his lost wealth and kingdom, Lord, if you pleased to grant another supplication.”
“ Loving daughter,” Yama answered, “this boon I now bestow, but return home, for living mortal cannot go with Yama” And Yama pursed his way.
But Savitri, meek and faithful, still followed her departed husband. Yama again turned back,” Noble Savitri, follow not in hapless woe.”
“I cannot choose but follow where you take my beloved one.”
“Then suppose, Savitri that your husband was a sinner and has to go to hell. In that case goes Savitri with the one she loves?”
“Glad I am to follow where he goes, be it life or death, heaven or hell, “said the loving wife.
“Blessed are your words, my child, pleased am I with you, ask yet another boom, but the dead come not to life again.”
“Since you permit me, then, let the imperial line of my father-in law be not destroyed; let his kingdom descend to Satyavan’s son.”
And then the God of Death smiled. “My daughter your desire fails the death, here is soul of your husband, he shall live again. He shall live to be a father and your children also shall reign in due course. Return home. Love has conquered Death! Woman never loved like you and you proved that even I, the God of Death, am powerless against the power of the true love.”

THE STORY OF VALMIKI, THE AUTHOR OF RAMAYANA

Valmiki is the author of one of India’s epic Ramayana. There is an interesting story behind him.
There was a young man that could not in any way support his family. He was strong and vigorous, and finally become a highway robber; he attacked persons in the street and robbed them. With that money he supported his father, mother, wife, and children. This went on continually, until one day a great sage called Narada was passing by, and the robber attacked him.
The sage asked him,” Why are you going to robe me? It is great sin to rob human being and kill them. What do you incur all this sin for?”
The robber said,” Why, I want to support my family with this money.”
“Now” said the sage, “do you think that they take a share of your sin also”
“Certainly they do”
“Very good, make me safe by tying me up here, while you home and ask your people whether they will share your sin the same way as they share the money you make.”
Then the man accordingly went to his father and asked,” Father, do you know how I support you?”
He answered,” No, I do not “
“I am a robber and I kill persons and robe them”
“What! You do that my son? Get away! You outcast!”
Then he went to his mother and asked her,” Mother, do you know how I support you?”
“No “she replied
“Through robbery and murder.”
“How horrible it is!” She cried
“But, do you part take in my sin?” asked son
“Why should I? I never committed a robbery.” Answered the mother
Then he went to his wife and questioned her, “ Do you how I maintain you all?”
“No “she replied
“Why, I am a highwayman, and for years have been robbing people; that is how I support and maintain you all. And what I now want to know is, whether you are ready to share in my sin. “
“By no means. You are my husband and it is your duty to support me”
The eyes of the robber were opened. “That is the way of the world –even my nearest relatives, for whom I have been robbing, will not share in my destiny.”
He came back to the place where he had bound the sages, unfastened his bonds, fell at his feet, recounted everything and said “Save me! What can I do?”
The sage said, “Give up your present course of life .You see that none of your family really loves you, so give all these delusions. They will share your prosperity; but the moment you have nothing, they will desert you. There is none who will share in your evil, but they will all share in your good”
Then the sage taught him how to worship. And this man left everything and went into a forest. There he went on praying and meditating until he forgets himself so entirely that the ants came and built ant-hills around him and he was quite unconscious about it.
After many years had passed, a voice came saying, “Arise, O sage!”
Thus aroused he exclaimed,” Sage, I am a robber!”
“No more robbers,” answered the voice, “a purified man, and your old names gone. Your meditation is so deep and great that you didn’t remark the ant-hills which surrounded you, hence your name will be Valmiki-he that was born in the ant-hill.” So he came a sage.
And this is how he becomes the poet. One day he was going to bath in holy Ganga, he saw a pair of doves wheeling round and round and kissing each other. The sage looked up and was pleased at the sight, but is seconds an arrow whisked past him and kills the male dove. As the dove fell down on the ground, the female dove went on whirling round and round the dead body of its companion.
In a moment the sage the poet become miserable and looking round and, he saw the hunter.”Thou art a wretch,” he cried, “without the smallest mercy! Thy slaying hand would not even stop for love!”
“What is this? What I am saying?”The poet thought himself,” I have never spoken in this sort of way before.”
And then a voice came: “Be not afraid. This is Poetry that is coming out of your mouth. Write the life of Rama for the benefit of the world.” And it was after that he wrote the beautiful Ramayana, The Life of Rama.

INDIA’S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD

By Swami Vivekanaada
I am grateful to the land of the West for the many warm hearts that received me with all the love that pure and disinterested souls alone could give; but my life’s allegiance is to my motherland; and if I had a thousand lives, every moment of the whole series would be consecrated to your service, my countrymen, my friends. For to this land I owe whatever I possess, physical, mental and spiritual; and if I have been successful in anything, the glory is yours, not mine.
What a land! Whoever stands on this sacred land, whether alien or a child of the soil, feels himself surrounded by the living thoughts of the earth’s purest sons, who have been working to raise the animal to the divine through centuries, whose beginning history fails to trace. The very air is full of the pulsations of spirituality.
This land is sacred to philosophy, to ethics and spirituality, to all that tends to give a respite to man in his incessant struggle to the preservation of the animal, to all training that makes man throw off the garments of brutality and stand revealed as the spirit of immortal, the birthless, the deathless, the ever blessed the land where the cup of pleasure was full, and fuller has been the cup of misery, until here, first of all, man found out that it was all vanity.
Here, in this ocean of humanity, amidst the sharp interaction of strong current of pleasure and pain ,of strength and weakness, of wealth and poverty, of joy and sorrow, of smile and tear, of life and death, in the melting rhythm of eternal peace and calmness, across the throne of renunciation!
Here in this land, the great problem of life and death, of the thirst for life, and the vain and struggles to preserve it only resulting in the accumulation of woes, were first grappled with and solved. This is the land where alone religion was practical and real, and here alone men and women plunged boldly into realize the goal, just as in other lands they madly plunge in to realize the pleasures of life by robbing their weaker brethren.
Here and here alone the human heart expanded till it included not only the human, but birds, beasts and the plants; from the highest gods to grains of sand, the highest and lowest, all find a place in the heart of man, grown great, infinite. And here alone, the human soul studied the universe as one unbroken unity whose every pulse was his own pulse.
Ay, a glorious destiny, my brethren, for as back as the days of the Upanishads we have thrown the challenge to the world: “Not by progency, not by wealth, but by renunciation alone immortality is reached.”Race after race has taken the challenge up and tried their utmost to solve the world riddle on the plane of desire. The question has yet to be decided whether peace will survive or war; weather patience will survive or non-forbearance; whether goodness will survive or wickedness; whether muscle will survive or brain; whether worldliness will survive or spirituality. We have solved our problems ages ago, and held on to it through good or evil fortune, and mean to hold on to it till the end of time. Our solution is unworldliness- renunciation.
This is the theme of Indian life work, the burden of her eternal songs, the backbone of her existence, the foundation of her being-the spiritualism of the human race. In this her life course she has never deviated, whether the Tartar ruled or Turk, whether the Mugul ruled or English.
And I challenge anybody to show one single period of her national life when India was lacking of spiritual giants capable of moving the world. But her work is spiritual, and that cannot be done with blasts of war trumpets or the march of cohort. Her influence has always fallen upon the world like that of the gentle dew, unheared and scarcely marked, yet bringing into bloom the fairest flowers of earth. This influence, being in its nature gentle, would have to wait for a fortunate combination of circumstances, to go out of the country into other land, though it never ceased to work within the limit of its native land. As such every educated person knows that whenever the empire-building Tartar or Persian or Greek or Arab brought this land in contact with the outside world, a mass of spiritual influence immediately flooded the world from here.
Mark my words, this is but the small beginning, but things are to follow; what the result of the present work outside the India will be I cannot exactly state, but this I know for certain that millions , I say deliberately, millions in every civilized land waiting for the message that will save them from the hideous abyss of materialism into which modern money worship is driving them headlong, and many of the leaders of the new social movements have already discovered that Vedanta in its highest form alone can spiritualize their social aspirations.