The Brahmin, the Thief and the Demon
Even enemies could end up doing you good when they start fighting among themselves! Here is a smart and snappy story from the Panchatantra that reiterates this surprising truth…
Once upon a time,
there was a poor brahmin called Drona. He got meagre alms, hardly enough to
appease his hunger. He was literally a bag of bones, with no decent clothes.
His hair and nails were unkempt, and he was a sorry sight indeed. One day, a
man performing a yagna took pity on the brahmin and gifted him a few calves.
Drona was dedicated to
the calves and cared for them meticulously. He fed them the choicest grass,
bathed them and tended to their every need sincerely. Soon enough, the calves
grew to be plump and healthy. Unfortunately, a thief set sight on them and decided
to steal them.
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| Drona cared for the cows with love, and they grew hale and healthy Image courtesy: freepik.com |
The thief meets a demon
That night, as the
thief was walking towards Drona’s house armed with a thick rope, he was
apprehended by a demon. He looked ferocious, with red eyes, raised nose, sharp
teeth and flame-coloured hair. The thief somehow pulled up his courage and
asked, “Who are you?”
The demon replied, “I
am Sathyavachan, a Brahma Rakshasa. I was a very cruel person in my past life.
As a result, I am now suffering as a demon that devours humans. Who are you?”
The thief replied, “I
am Kroorakarma, a thief. I am on my way to steal a brahmin’s calves.”
The demon laughed and
replied, “Excellent! I have not eaten for six days. I will come with you. You
can steal the calves, and I can eat the brahmin!”
And so, the two set
off to the Brahmin’s house. Once they reached there, they started arguing about
who should go first.
An argument breaks out between the two
The thief said, “Oh demon!
It is only fair that you wait till I finish my job and leave. After all, I was
the one who led you here. If the brahmin makes some noise when you attack him,
the neighbours will become alert and my plan will be spoiled. So, please wait
till I take the calves and go away!”
“Impossible,” argued
the Brahma Rakshasa. “The calves will start mooing when you enter their shed.
My plan will be foiled, and I will have to go hungry again. It is you who
should wait till I finish my job.”
The disagreement
worsened, and the two started arguing loudly. The brahmin heard them and woke
up. He immediately chanted sacred mantras to ward off the demon, and
scared the thief away with a heavy wooden stick.
The brahmin was saved due to the discord between his enemies!
Let us remember this
moral in the words of Vishnu Sharma, who devised the Panchatantra tales to
transform the dim-witted sons of King Amarashakthi into wise princes…
शत्रवोऽपि
हितायैव विवदन्तः परस्परम्।
चौराण जीवितं दत्तं राक्षसेन तु गोयुगम्॥
śatravo'api hitāyaiva vivadantaḥ parasparam|
caurāṇa jīvitaṁ dattaṁ rākṣasena tu goyugam||
Even enemies can do you good, if they disagree amongst
themselves, just as the thief saved a person’s life
and the demon saved the calves!
By
Janani G. Vikram
Very interesting story.
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