28 MORAL FABLES FROM SANSKRIT LITERATURE-TALE 4

 

The Story of Old Jackal and an Elephant

There was an elephant by name Karpura Tilaka in a forest called Brahamaranya.  On seeing that all the jackals thought that if this elephant can be killed through any idea, then there will be sufficient food for four months will be available with its heavy body.  Among them, it was promised by an old jackal thus: I will kill this elepahant out of my power of device.

Then that cunning old jackal have approached that Karpura Tilaka saluted it by prostrating its feet and told thus: Oh! Sir! Please me with your glorious eyesight.  Then that elephant asked thus:  Who are you?  Where are you coming from?  Then the old jackal replied thus:  “ I am Jambuka.  I have approached you along with all the wild animals because it is not proper to be live in the forest without our leader.  Scripture says that 

"Yah kulaabhijana-aachaaraihi

   Athi suddhaf Prathaapavaan  l

   Dharmajno neethikusalas

   Sas swaami yujyathe bhuvi ll"

“Whoever so pure by his race, kith and kin, behavioural conducts, valorous, pious and who knows the justice he is capable to be a leader in this world”.  Hence, you are identified and selected you to crown as a king for our animal kingdom because you are having the leadership qualities.  So before the lapsing the auspicious time, Oh! Sir! Please come soon. By telling so the old jackal started to move.

Afterwards, the elephant trapped by the greedy of kingship, by following the path of the old jackal, plunged into the great mire.  Then, the elephant asked the jackal thus: Oh! Friend! Jackal! What is to be done now? I will die being trapped into the mire. Please turn and look at me. The old jackal told with smile thus: Oh! Sir! Please get up by holding my tail because you have believed the words of a person like me.  So that you may experience the unavoidable misery.

Then the elephant Karpura Tilaka which was plunged in to the great mire, eaten by the jackals.

The moral of the story:-

"Upaayena hi yath sakyam na thath sakyam paraakramaihi  l

  Srugaalena hatho hasthee gacchathaa panka-varthmanaa  ll"

Whichever is succeeded by the power of device that can’t be by the power.  The gigantic elephant was killed which has followed the miry-way which was shown by a cunning jackal.

(This story is taken from the titled Mitralabhah the 1st volume of the book Hitopadesa which has four volumes viz., Mitralaabhah, Suhrudbedhah, Vigrahah and Sandhi written by Narayana Pandita who lived in later part of the 14^th Century A.D.)

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