The Hitopadesha by G. L. Chandiramani

Author:G. L. Chandiramani
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jaico Publishing House

23 It is said that majority of the she-mules die at the time of giving birth to their offsprings.

Damanaka related

The Story of The Tittibha Birds and The Ocean

On the shore of the southern sea, there lived a Tittibha couple. When her delivery was imminent, the female Tittibha said to her husband, “Lord! Please search for some quiet place, suitable for my delivery.”

The male Tittibha said, “My dear wife! Indeed, this is the right place for laying eggs.”

She said, “The tide of the sea reaches this place.”

The male Tittibha answered, “Am I so powerless that the sea dare harm me?”

The female Tittibha smiled and said, “Lord! There is a great difference between you and the sea ”

It is difficult to come to a correct decision,

Whether one is capable or not;

He who has such knowledge,

Does not suffer misery even in difficulty.

There are four doors to death:

The starting of an improper action,

Enmity towards one’s own people,

Rivalry with the stronger And confidence in women.

Afterwards, according to the advice of her husband, she laid the eggs there with great reluctance.

Having heard this, the sea, to test their strength carried away those eggs.

The female Tittibha, afflicted by grief said to her husband, “Lord! Great calamity has befallen us. Those eggs of mine have perished.”

The Tittibha said, “Oh beloved! Do not be afraid.”

Saying this, he called an assembly of birds and went before Garuda, the Lord of the birds.

Having reached there, the male Tittibha placed all the facts before Lord Garuda and said, “Deva! The sea has tormented me without any fault of mine, while I was at home.”

After listening to his words, Garuda related all this to Lord Narayana the ‘Cause of creation, preservation and destruction of the Universe’, who ordered the sea to return the eggs. Obeying the Lord’s mandate with deep reverence, the sea returned the eggs to the Tittibha birds.

“Therefore I say, ‘Without ascertaining the relation between the principal and the subordinate, etc.’”

The king said, “How can it be ascertained that this one has evil designs?”

Damanaka said, “When he arrogantly approaches you, like one bewildered, ready to strike you with the tips of his horns, then your majesty will know.”

Saying this, Damanaka went near Sanjeevaka. On reaching over there, he approached him very slowly and exhibited himself, as if wonder-struck.

On seeing him, Sanjeevaka said with great respect, “Frignd! Are you well?”

Damanaka said, “How could there be any happiness for servants?”

For:

Their prosperity is dependent on others,

Their minds are always uneasy,

Even with regards to the safety of their own lives,

There is no guarantee,

For those who serve a king.

Moreover:

Who, after obtaining wealth,

Does not become proud?

Have the miseries of any sensualist,

Ever come to an end?

Whose mind is not disturbed by women?

Who indeed is a favourite of the king?

Who does not fall into the clutches of death?

Which supplicant has earned respect?

Which man, fallen into the trap of the wicked,

Has come out safe?

Sanjeevaka said, “Friend, tell me; what is it?”

Damanaka said, “What can an unfortunate person like me say?”

For:

Like someone drowning in the sea,

On getting a snake as support,

Neither

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.