Coup On Literature – 6 [Vyadha Geetha]

Indian believes in rebirth. In Indian believes whatever we do good or evil, we deserve the result of advantage or disadvantage in the present life or in next life. Along with this, people believe that whatever we do good or evil, our children will be liable to it. God do such. If we do holy or faithful activities, our children will be protected; our children will be peaceful and happy in their future, though we live up to that time or not. If we do evil activities, our children will be cursed to get evil in their life. These believe prevent the people from sin and provokes the people to do righteous.

In this context, I explain you a story from ‘Kadha Sarithsagaram, what I remember.

అనగా అనగా ………..

Before taking birth of Bodhi Satwa, he had taken so many lives. Among them in one turn he had taken birth as a dog. He lived in a house of a Brahmin in Waranasi. He dedicated to serve to his master in watching the house. One day when his Mistress was taking milk from the udder of a cow. The dog was watching that beautiful scene. While calf was sucking milk from its mother cow’s udder, some cream of milk had raised in air from the mouth of the calf and flown in air. The dog jumped into air and caught it. With such holy lead of life, in next birth, he got a life of cow in same Kasi city. As a cow he served his master and led a hermit life. With such holy life, he had taken a birth of king to the kasi city. As a human being, that to as a king, he became egoistic and lead sinful life. As a result, he had taken a pig life next.

That’s the entire story.

This I read in ‘Chandamama’ means Moon, the children Magazine in my childhood. I don’t likes to debate on the reality of rebirths or life after death. I’m not capable to prove it experimentally or scientifically.

But I want to discuss about the inspiration of such believes.

This type of stories motivates the people to lead life in sacred way or in truthful way.

I refer a famous story of three fish from ‘Pancha Thanthram’ in which beautiful ethics were discussed in the form of stories.

అనగా అనగా ………..

Once in a lake, there were three fish living together called Deergha Darshi, Prapthakalagnudu and Deergha suthrudu. Deergha Darshi means the person who is able to look far into future i.e. best fore caster. Praptha Kalagnudu means the person who is able to under stand suitable knowledge according to the particular time i.e. timely knowledgeous. Deargha suthrudu means the person who always postpones the work to do. These names represent their nature.

Some days passed. The summer was approaching. Deergha Darshi called it’s both friends i.e. Praptha Kalegnudu and Deergha Suthrudu and said “Look friends! The summer is approaching. Our lake will dry up slowly. When the lake gets up dry, we can’t go anywhere. That’s why, now let us go opposite to the flow of water into this lake and reach some other big water source.”

Praptha Kalagnudu paid little interest on it and said “Friend, Deergha Darshi. Who can say about the future? No parameter as this lake will get dry up. So the intellectuals will think about the present problems. In future if problems arise, let us solve at that time itself. Why should we feel tense & worry unnecessary about the problem of future. At present this lake is like sea. It won’t get dry up. If it happens, them we can think about the solution. Why should worry now?”

By saying like this the second fish Praptha Kalagnudu was enjoying in swimming. However, the third fish, Deergha Suthrudu did not pay any attention on this conversation and was so careless.

By watching all this, Deergha Darshi thought that it was better to prevent the problem than to find out timely solution. So it left that lake, and reached into another big water sources.

Some days passed. Summer approached. The water in the lake evaporated and it got dry up. One day some fisher men came with nets, needle sticks, fish-hooks and other threads. They fished in the lake. Prapthakalagnudu felt tense for some time. Then thought for tricks to escape from the death. The fisher men were catching the fish and pricking them into a thin rope. Praptha Kalagnudu had held the rope with mouth as if it was dead and pricked to the thin rope among the middle of other dead fish. The fishermen didn’t notice it. But the Deergha Suthrudu without having prior, precaution or timely solution, was caught hold by fisher-men and died.

The fishermen finished their fishing and they washed their bodies as well as the fish hunted by them in water. At that moment, Prathakalagnudu gently slipped into the water and escaped.

That’s the entire story.

This story preaches us as prevention is better than cure. It is better to prevent problems by taking precautions than taking timely solutions. Some times timely solutions may not work out or some times may not flash in mind, that to we have to experience tense at that time. It is worst to be experience tense at that time. It is worst to be careless towards the problems like the third fish Deergha Suthrudu.

Is it not a great truth of life?

Such stories having ethics and truths of life from Yusuf stories, Moulwi Naseruddin and Tol stoy guide us to behave in proper way.

The stories of Thief-Mother i.e. Leaf-Vegetable and Shepherded boy i.e. Father-Tiger came, preaches us in childhood it self to learn sincerity and to tell truth.

In this context I refer a story from Sri Maha Bharatam, Aranya Parvam. Markandeya Maharishi told this story.

అనగా అనగా ………..

Once, near a village, there was a forest. In that forest a small peaceful place. A small river was flowing through that place. On the bank of that river, there was a big tree whose shade was cool and pleasant. Under that tree there was a Saint named Kaushik living in meditation. He used to go to fetch food by begging in the nearby village.

Among those days, one day, when he was getting up from meditation to go to fetch food, a crane excreted on him by sitting on the branch of the tree. The Saint got angry and looked at it with red eyes. By that moment, the crane burnt out into ash.

First he felt wonder, later little bit proud by his power. He had gone to village, stood in front of a house, and demanded for food as “Bhavathi! Bhiksham Dehi!” means “Oh host! I urge for food.”

The host was ready to donate food to him. But by that time, her husband returned home after long journey. Immediately she attended her husband. She arranged bath for him, served lunch to him made bed for him and served him to sleep with hand fan. Her husband relaxed and slept. Then she came to give food to the Saint.

By watching all this, the Saint was angrily waiting for her. By offering food to him, she said “Swami! To burn out into ash by your anger, I’m not a crane. Being house wife it is my first duty to serve my husband. Later only I perform my remaining duties. Please take this food.”

He got shocked by it. His ego and proud regarding the power of holy life was disappeared. He had fallen on her feet and requested her as “Mother! How could you know about my story happened in the forest? Please teach me knowledge!”


She said “Oh, Saint! There is a town called Midhila Nagaram, at a little distance from here. There is a man, called Tharma Vyadha. If you approach him, he will guide you properly.”

By saying thanks to her, he started about Midhila Nagaram. By enquiring about Tharma vyadha, he reached a place in that town. It was a butcher’s shop. Dharma Vyadha was a meet vender. There was meet quantities of several animals. By watching such scene, the Saint was surprised and stand at a certain distance from that shop. By watching the Saint, the butcher, Dharma Vyadha approached him, greeted him and said “Welcome Saint! Is the house wife who sent you here happy and safe?”

The Saint got severe shock with surprise. He thought “How that house wife could know the burning down of crane in forest because of my anger and how this butcher is able to enquire about her? How the both get such miraculary powers? In spite of meditation, by leaving family life, I could not achieve such power. How these two common people, who are leading their family life but not Saint Life, could acquire such miraculary powers of knowing things, happened for away with mind?”

By observing him, Dharma Vyadha said “Swami! You please wait for few minutes. You can’t bear this smell of meet. I’ll finish my work and come. You are thinking that how I got the power of knowing things which are not visible to naked eye. I’ll explain you after going my home. Please wait.”

By saying this, Dharma Vyadha quickly finished his work and closed the shop. He asked the saint to follow him to his house. When they reached home, Dharma Vyadha’s wife attended them and served him as guest. Dharma Vyadha attended his parents, done physical service to them; he attended the needs of his family members.


While the Saint was taking rest, after having dinner, Dharma Vyadha said “Swami! I do this type of meditation only. Whatever the devotional programs we attend, or devotional activities we perform, they are not greater than the service to our parents. By carrying us in her womb, by bearing pains and giving us birth, by taking care to protect us in childhood, how much sacrifice and effort that our mother had done for us?
How can we show our great fullness to her? How much service we should do for her? For our future, for our protection, for our education, for our life build up, how much hard work that our father had done for us. By respecting them, by doing physical service to them in their late age, we can make them to feel happy, and satisfactory. This is my way of living to achieve ‘Mukti’ i.e. Freedom of soul. I’m leading life by serving parents, protecting wife and children, respecting others, treating poor and guests with kind. Because of this life style only, I’m able to lead peaceful life.

You may have a doubt in your mind. I am a butcher and I’m selling the animal’s meat. Is it not violence and sin? But here, I have to tell a natural secret or Dharma to you. In this world, all the living beings depend upon other living beings for food. Only flying birds, animals are not living beings. All the trees, plants, seeds, fruits, vegetables, all are living beings. Because they are not showing movement from place to place, we should not think that there is no life in them. To live, to grow for one life, another life is base. This is Nature law.

If you say ‘No. this is violence only’, my reply is – if I leave this profession and close my shop, all the non-vegetarians will change into vegetarians? That’s why you leave your doubt. To keep life in our body, i.e. for the sake of food, what we do is not violence. That to, some body kills these animals and brings to me. As per my duty I sell it and earn life food. In business I won’t cheat people. I won’t leave my duty and I won’t do other’s duty. I give food to hungered people. I take care of all my people who depended on me. I share my neighbor’s problem, and help them. One more important issue-you see, human mind is very unstable. We have to keep it in balance. We should over power the Arishadwargams and emotions with peaceful, strong and stable mind. We have to devote God in our work. We have to work with Trikarana Shuddi i.e. with mind, with word and with body. We have to work by leaving the tense of result and result to god. I do this much only. How much we useful to others, helpful to others, that much is our sacred life.”

By taking these words into mind, the Saint got peace and pleasure. With pleasant smile he took leave from Dharma Vyadha and left to his place.

That’s the entire story.

This story leads us that nature i.e. quality or character is important rather than the cast, religion and profession. We have to accept the truth and good from wherever it exists. We have to do our own work with sincerity.

This is the extract of Bhagavad Geetha, Bhagavatham, Maha bharatham, Ramayanam and most part of our Vedas and Upanishads.

Won’t the above story i.e. Vyadha Geetha lead us to perform our work with commitment and sincerity? Is it not the ultimate goal of story or literature?