राजधर्मानुशासन पर्व — कुकुर र चितुवाको कथा

Bhishma said Regarding it is cited the following ancient history. That history is considered as one of the greatest precedent amongst good and wisemen.

That history is connected with the present subject. I heard it in the asylum of Rama the son of Jamadagni, recited by many foremost of Rishis.

In a certain large forest uninhabited by human beings, there lived an ascetic upon fruits and roots, practising rigid vows and with his senses under restraint.

Observing strict regulations and selfrestraint, of great and pure soul, always making Vedic recitations, and of heart purified by facts, he treated all creatures with goodness.

Highly intelligent, as he was, as he sat on his seat, the goodness of his conduct having been known to all the creatures that dwelt in that forest, they used to approach him with affection.

Dreadful lions and tigers, infuriate elephants of huge body, leopards, rhinoceroses, bears, and other dreadful animals, living upon blood, used to come to the Rishi and question him politely. Indeed, all of them behaved towards him like disciples and slaves and always did what was agreeable to him.,

Coming to him they made enquiries, and then went away to their respective habitations. One domestic animal, however, resided there permanently, never, leaving the ascetic at any time.

He was greatly attached to the saint. Weak and emaciated with fasts, he lived upon fruits and roots and water, and was tranquil and of inoffensive character.

Lying at the feet of that great Rishi as the latter sat, the dog, with a humane heart, become greatly attached to him for the affection with which he was treated.

One day a very strong leopard came there, leaving upon blood. Of a cruel nature and always delighted at the prospect of prey, the dreadful animal looked like a second Yama.

Licking the corners of his mouth with the tongue, and lashing his tail furiously, the leopard came there, stricken with hunger and thirst, with wide open jaws, desirous of catching the dog as his prey.

Seeing that dreadful animal coming, O king, the dog, in fear of his life, spoke to the ascetic as follows. Listen to them, O king!-

O Rishi, this leopard is an enemy of the dogs, It wishes to kill me. O great sage, do you so act that all my fears from this animal may be removed through your favour. O you of mighty arms, forsooth, you are omniscient.

Reading the thoughts of all creatures, the sage felt that the dog had sufficient cause for fear. Endued with the six attributes and capable of reading the voices of all animals, the sage said as follows.

The sage said You shall have no fear of death from leopards any longer! Let your natural from disappear and be you a leopard, O son!

Thereat, the dog was metamorphosed into a leopard with skin bright as gold. With stripes on his body and with huge teeth, thenceforth he began to live in that forest fearlessly.

Meanwhile, seeing before him an animal of his own species, the leopard, forthwith renounced all feelings of enmity towards it.

Sometime after, there came into that asylum a dreadful and hungry tiger with mouth wide open. Licking the corners of his mouth with the tongue, and eagerly desirous of drinking blood, that tiger began to approach the animal that had been metamorphosed into a leopard.

Seeing the hungry tiger of dreadful teeth approach that forest, the leopard sought the Rishi's protection for saving his life.

The sage, who had great affection for the leopard for its living in the same place with him, immediately transformed his leopard into a tiger powerful for all enemies.

The tiger seeing a beast of his own species did not injure him, O king. Having in course of time been metamorphosed into a powerful tiger living upon flesh and blood, the dog, abstained from his former food of fruits and roots.

Indeed, from that time, O king, the transformed tiger lived, living upon the other animals of the forest, like a true king of beasts.