Story of The Brahmin and the crooks
Mitra Sarma was a Brahmin living in a
small village. He used to daily worship Fire. It was the month of Magha
(February). The sky was full of clouds and it had already started raining.
Sarma left for a neighbouring village at that time to seek the gift of a
sacrificial lamb from some rich man. He called on a well-to-do man in the
village and requested him to make him a gift of a healthy lamb for sacrifice
to Gods. The wealthy man gave him one of the well-fed lambs he had.
Carrying the lamb on his shoulders, the
Brahmin began his homeward journey. Three crooks, very hungry and emaciated,
crossed his path and seeing the healthy lamb on the Brahmin’s shoulders
thought, “Ah, God has sent us good food. Let us trick the Brahmin into
parting with it and free us from hunger and cold.” At once, they began to
act.
One of them changed into a disguise, and
overtaking the Brahmin by another route, stopped him and said, “O what a
fool you are? Such a great worshipper of Fire, why are you carrying this dog
on your shoulders? This will bring you ridicule. Don’t you know that it is a
sin to touch a dog, or a rooster, or a donkey?”
The Brahmin lost his temper and said,
“You stupid fellow, are you blind? Why do you call a lamb a dog?”
The first crook replied, “Don’t be angry,
if you think he is not a dog, please carry on. I have no objection.”
The Brahmin hardly walked a little
distance when the second crook greeted him and said,
“O respected sir, it is highly
regrettable that you are carrying a dead calf on your shoulders, however
dear it is to you. The man who touches dead animals or birds has to undergo
purification rites.”
The Brahmin challenged him, “Are you too
blind? This is a live sacrificial lamb and you say he is a dead calf.”
The second crook said, “All right, sir.
Please excuse me. I am an ignorant fool. Do as it pleases you.”
Now it was the turn of the third crook to
cross the Brahmin’s path.
Turning to the Brahmin, the crook said,
“Sir, it is highly improper. You are carrying a donkey on your shoulders.
This is not done. The elders have said he who touches a donkey, knowingly or
otherwise, has to take a bath fully dressed. So, please leave him before
anybody notices it.”
Thinking that he was really carrying a
donkey, the poor Brahmin threw the lamb to the ground and went home.
Moral of
the Story :
The learned have said that men with great common sense and a little bit of
cunning can subdue stronger enemies like the tricksters who cheated the
gullible Brahmin of his lamb |