Change of heart

There was a very big lake in a forest. All the animals of the forest used to come to that lake to drink water from it. One day a hunter came to that lake. He bathed in it and drank the sweet water of the lake to quench his thirst. The hunter was very hungry as he hadn't eaten anything for the last so many days. He thought "The animals living in this forest will definitely come to this lake to drink water. And this will enable me to get a prey for myself easily," thinking this the hunter climbed a tree and sat on it.

Soon after, a female deer came to drink water from the lake. The hunter saw her, drew an arrow from his quiver and poised it on the bowstring. The female deer saw him doing this and was terribly frightened. She said, "Brother, hunter! I know I cannot save my life by running away from here; but I beseech you to have mercy on me. The two fawns, my young ones, must be waiting for me. Please allow me to go for the time being, and I promise that I shall come back to you after feeding the fawns and handing them over to a female deer who is a friend of mine."

The hunter laughed. It was beyond logic for him that the female deer would return to him despite knowing that he would kill her. But then he thought "I must allow her to go keeping in view the promise made by her. And if I am destined to get a prey, I shall get another one." He allowed her to go.

Just a little after the female deer had left, a beautiful looking male deer with hig horns came to the lake to drink water from it. The hunter was about to release his arrow when the male deer saw him. He said, "Brother, hunter! It's hours since I have been away from my wife and the young ones. They must be getting nervous and eagerly awaiting my return. Do kindly allow me to go so that I may go and see them and explain to them the situation. And it's a promise that I shall return to you after that. But, kindly allow me to go for the time being."

This irritated the hunter very much. He was almost on the point of starvation. He thought for some time and then consoled himself by saying "I must allow the male deer also to return. If I am destined to starve today, I must."

The female deer came to her fawns, fed them and let the fawns snuggle close to her for some time. Then she took them to another female deer, who was her close friend, and explained the situation to her. Meanwhile, the male deer also came there with tears welled up in his eyes. He also poured all his affection on them and then prepared to leave. But the fawns were not ready to part with their parents. Ultimately, the male and female deer, having no alternative, had to agree to take the fawns also along with them.

Reaching near the lake, the male deer said to the hunter, "Brother hunter! We all have come. Now you may kill us and assuage your hunger."

The hunter was extremely surprised to see the truthfulness of the innocent animals. He climbed down the tree and began theinking "How truthful are these deer despite being animals. They have returned tome, just to keep their word, without caring for their lives. And I, despite being a human being, am so sinful that in order to assuage my hunger, kill these innocent and mute animals. Now I take a vow that I shall not kill any animal from today.

The hunter broke his bow and threw it away. Just then a celestial car, moving in the air with gods and angels in it, landed on the ground there. One angel said to the hunter, "Hunter! these deer have atoned for their sins by having observed truthfulness. They will go to heaven. You too have atoned for your sins by having had mercy on these innocent animals. You will also be taken to heaven along with them."

Then the female and male deer were transformed into the forms of god along with the fawns. The hunter also was transformed into a god. It was their truthfulness and mercy that enabled them to go to heaven alive.

The neglected wife

When Brahmadutta was ruling Banaras, Bodhisatva was born.
One day, the king became angry with his son and banished him from the kingdom. The prince left Banaras with his wife. They wandered in other lands for a long time suffering untold privations. On several occassions, the prince didn't have a roof over his head. He had also to go without food. His faithful wife shared all the hardships without a word of complaint.

As time passed, King Brahmadutta died. On learning the news, the prince thought he could now return to Banaras, and ascend the throne. So he and his wife started for Banaras, travelling day and night.In his anxiety to reach the capital as quickly as possible, he forgot to look after his wife's comfort. He forced her to walk as fast as he did and even to go without food and sleep as much as possible.

Though he was anxious to reach Banaras, he couldn;t resist from eating. One day,the couple reached a village in a state of great hunger. One of the villagers took pity on them and asked the prince to go with him to his house.Asking his wife to rest under a tree, he went with the villager.He gave the prince a parcel of food which would be enough for two. On his was back the prince thought,"This food is sufficient for two of us. I don't know when and where we;ll get our next meal.And Banaras is still very far off. It is more important that I reach Banaras. My wife need not hurry to get there. Even otherwise,she is being a hindrance to me.If not with her, I would have gone much farther by now. I must manage to eat all this food myself."

With his mind full of suh mean thoughts, the prince returned to where his wife was resting. "Here's some food", he told her,"You start walking, I shall catch up with you after my ablutions".

Believing him,she wearily walked ahead. The prince ate up all the food. He then made a bundle of the leaves in which the food had been packed an caught up with his wife.

"Look at the mischief," he told her showing the packet. "The rascal has fooled us with an empty parcel.There's no food in it."

His wife said nothing, but she could guess what might have happened. After some more days, they arrived in Banaras. The prince was duly crowned as the king. Thought she had shared all his hardships, he didn't feel it necessary to share his happiness with his queen.She was totally neglected by the king.

Bodhisatva, who had become the King's counsellor, noticed the state of affairs. One day, he wnet to see the queen who received him with due courtesy.

"After coming into good times, the king distributed gifts to all of us," he said."But I am yet to et anything from the hands of queen!"

"Sir," she said pitifully,"I'm the queen only in name. There's very little difference between me and the palace maids. I had dutifully shared all his misfortunes, but it looks as though i don't have the right to have a share of his fortune." She went to narrate to the counsellor how, on their way to Banaras, the prince had robbed her of her share of food."Even now," she said, " the king doesn't care to enquire whether I have had my food, what clothes I am wearing and so on."

"Don't worry, your hightness," Bodhisatva said, seeing that she was in tears,"I've suspected this , I came here only to know the truth from you. Let's repeat our conversation tomorrow in hte court. I'll see that the king doesn't neglect you anymore."

The next day, the queen was present at the court. Bodhisatva remarked in the full court that the queen had no thoughts for the poor since she became the queen.

Then the queen told the court all that she had told the counsellor the previous day. The King felt ashamed when she revealed how he had robbed her of her share of food while they were returning to Banaras.

"If the King is neglecting you," Bodhisatva told her, " there's no reason why you should stay with him. The scriptures tell us: Leave one who had left you. Don't make friends with him.You need not be nice to anyone who frowns at you.Birds leave the fruitless tree and seek other trees. The world is wide. So, you can get out into the world and seek those who will be considerate to you.

Hering this, the King left the throne and fell at Bodhisatva's feet. 'O wise counsellor! Don't put me to shame!' he begged. "I shall henceforth treat my wife with respect. I apologise for what I have done."

A Grateful Servant

Sekhar was orphaned in his childhood itself.He was brought up by his uncle Krishna. Though he was very much affectionate towards Sekhar, his wife Rohini deteseted him from the very beginning. She burdened him with the entire household chores, and at the same time gave him the most frugal meals. As the years passed, the situation started deteriorating and Sekhar had to go without food on may days. Besides, he had to put up with verbal abuses from and physical torture by his aunt. Though in the presence of her husband, she pretended to take care of him, she did the contrary in his absence.Later, Krishna was aware of the ill-treatment meted out to his nephew in his absence, and he was furious with his wife. When he reprimanded her severly, Rohini retaliated:"Don't accuse me! This rascal is telling lies to you about me! Send him out of the house!"

Krishna countered her."Don't try to act, Rohini! The poor boy is too good to complain about you! He is extremely tolerant and good-natured. I've come to know what you do with him from other quarters too."

Rohini shot back:"If you believe that your nephew is so tolerant, send him to work under your relative Sitaram! He'll be better off there! I can't look after your nephew any longer!"

Krishna became angry.He replied:"Why should he go there? He'll be with us only!"

Rohini became agitated.She shouted,"Then, let me leave this house!"

Sekhar hd to intervene to pacify the quarelling couple."Uncle! please don't quarrel with aunty on my count.I'll rather go to uncle Sitaram's house at once!"

Krishna was too furious to speak. After sometime, when he had cooled down,it occured to him that the idea was not altogether bad. Atleast, Sekhar would be able to eat two square meals a day insted of often starving.

Sitaram was a niceman in earlier times. After his retirement, he got bored by sitting idle in the house. His wife Arundhati and his sons where busy with their own work and hence couldnot spare any time for him. Sitaram felt neglected and hence gave vent to his annoyance at everyone. Being unable to put up with his nagging, Arundhati appointed a servant to look after his personal needs. But this made matters worse. Sitaram felt let down by his own family and harassed the servant, He soon left their service. Arundhati engaged several servants thereafter, but none stuck to the job. She was now badly in need of a servant who whould be patient enought to work under her ever-nagging husband. Krishna was aware of this, but the only consolation was that Sekhar would atleast not starve. So, he decided to send Sekhar to SItaram's house.

Initially, it was a bit difficult for Sekhar to put up with hte tantrums of Sitaram. Gradually, he got used to them. He showed utmost patience in dealing with his new master. Verysoon, Sitaram started liking Sekhar. Arundhati felt much relieved and she was so pleased with the boy that she gave him sumptuous food. She took care of all his needs and treated him as a member of her own family.

One day, a hermit visited thier house,Greatly pleased with thefamily, the hermit said:" I want to be bless all of you. Please come one by one and tell me your wishes. I shall praay to god to grant you your wishess."

They went to him one by one and spoke out their wishes. Arindhati desired a long married life. The sons wanted to lead properous lives,Sitaram wanted that all should bestow their best attention on him.When everyone's turn was over,Arundhati called Sekhar and asked him to express his wish.

Sekhar knelt before the hermit and prayed to him: " O holy man I want my master to have a long and healthy life. he should be contented as he was once upon a time. He should become a lovable person."

All others , including the hermit, were astounded on listening to sekhar. The hermit stroked his back fondly and said " My dear boy! when all otherss have asked for the fulfilment of their personal wishes, what makes you only pray for the sake of your master? Dont you have any personal wish of your own?

" O holy man!" said sekhar , his voice choked with emotioon. " I consider him my god! I owe my very existence in this house to him. Every morsel of food I get in this house is because of him. Nothing in the world would I seek other than his welfare!"

Dear boy,"cautioned the hermit "dont you realise that once your wish gets fulfilled and he becomes normal, you might lose your job in this house? Have you thought of that?"

"It doesn't matter!" said Sekhar."Even if I'm asked to leave his service, I would 'not mind. I would always recollect the happy days I spent with him. His welfare is most important to me."

Sitaram was overwhelmed. He held Sekhar 's hands and said," Never will I ask you to leave my house you aren't my servant any longer. From this day , you are my third son.And you 'll be with me for ever".. He hugged Sekhar and wept like a child.