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Sage Kaushik
Kaushik was his parents' only son. "Mother," he said one day, " I want to go off into the jungle and devote myself to spiritual studies."
His mother said with concern, "But son, your father and I are very old. Your father is so sick he can hardly move. If you go away, what will happen to us? Who will attend to our needs?" Kaushik did not listen. He was determined to study the Vedas and acquire powers. His mother cried in vain as she watched her son turn his back on her and leave for the jungle.
Eventually Kaushik acquired great mystical powers.One afternoon, as he was meditating under a tree, a crane flew up, and perched herself on a branch above Kaushik. Some bird droppings fell on Kaushik's head. Kaushik furiously threw a fiery gaze at the crane.The crane immediately fell dead. This was a proof of his powers.
Later in the day, he went to a village to beg for alms. The lady of the house asked him to wait as she was serving her husband. The sage felt very insulted. "You put your husband before a pious sage? Do you know the power of a Brahmin?"
She calmly replied, "Yes, a true Brahmin is one who has mastered his anger. "Kokku enru ninaithayo Konkanava?" Hey Brahmin, Do you think I am a crane? Please do not threaten me, I am not a crane that will die by your fiery gaze."
The sage was amazed. "How does she know about the crane?" he wondered.
The lady continued, "Oh holy one! You are a learned Brahmin but you have not understood the truth about virtue. If you want to be enlightened, go to Dharmavyadha who lives in Mathura. Any one will tell you where he lives."
The sage thanked the lady and hurried to Mathura. "He must be a great and learned sage indeed," Kaushik thought to himself. But when he finally reached Dharmavyadaha's place, he found it to be a butcher's shop!
A very ordinary looking man came out and said, "Welcome holy one. I am Dharmavyadaha, the man you seek."
"How can a butcher be spiritually enlightened?" Kaushik asked in amazement. Dharmavyadaha smiled and asked with compassion, "Did the wise woman send you to me or because you felt sorry about the crane that you burnt?"
The sage could not contain himself and thought how this butcher could know so much. He blurted out, "But butchering animals is such a sinful profession! Are you not ashamed?"
"I am not," the butcher calmly said. "I am engaged in a family trade. I work hard and honestly at it. There is no reason for me to be ashamed of my work!"
"Holy one," continued the butcher. "If I do injury to other creatures, so do you as you did to the crane. "
"As we walk on the soil, we are trampling on numerous creatures. Nor is the air devoid of creatures."
"You see that farmer tilling the land? He is killing so many animals that thrive under the soil."
They reached the butcher's house. The butcher's wife was doing her house hold chores and his two boys were playing. The butcher introduced the sage to his wife and boys.
Then the butcher entered the house and touched his parents' feet.
"Here is a learned Brahmin who has come from a far-off place." the butcher told his old father.
"Welcome, holy one," the father said.
Before leaving the room, the butcher remarked, "My parents are my Gods. My wife and my children attend to them with devotion and love. We consider caring for them to be our greatest duty."
"In doing one's duty cheerfully, lies true virtue. This is what the dutiful wife sent you to learn."
"Oh learned one!" the butcher continued, "You have run away from your responsibilities and deserted your aged father and mother. Spiritual achievement is useless if one has neglected one's Dharma, or duties."
The sage remembered his mother crying, "Who will look after us when you are gone my son?"
The sage apologized, "You have shown me the path of true virtue, the true meaning of Dharma, Oh pious one. I am deeply indebted to you."
Kaushik immediately returned to his parents and served them lovingly till the end of their days.
His mother said with concern, "But son, your father and I are very old. Your father is so sick he can hardly move. If you go away, what will happen to us? Who will attend to our needs?" Kaushik did not listen. He was determined to study the Vedas and acquire powers. His mother cried in vain as she watched her son turn his back on her and leave for the jungle.
Eventually Kaushik acquired great mystical powers.One afternoon, as he was meditating under a tree, a crane flew up, and perched herself on a branch above Kaushik. Some bird droppings fell on Kaushik's head. Kaushik furiously threw a fiery gaze at the crane.The crane immediately fell dead. This was a proof of his powers.
Later in the day, he went to a village to beg for alms. The lady of the house asked him to wait as she was serving her husband. The sage felt very insulted. "You put your husband before a pious sage? Do you know the power of a Brahmin?"
She calmly replied, "Yes, a true Brahmin is one who has mastered his anger. "Kokku enru ninaithayo Konkanava?" Hey Brahmin, Do you think I am a crane? Please do not threaten me, I am not a crane that will die by your fiery gaze."
The sage was amazed. "How does she know about the crane?" he wondered.
The lady continued, "Oh holy one! You are a learned Brahmin but you have not understood the truth about virtue. If you want to be enlightened, go to Dharmavyadha who lives in Mathura. Any one will tell you where he lives."
The sage thanked the lady and hurried to Mathura. "He must be a great and learned sage indeed," Kaushik thought to himself. But when he finally reached Dharmavyadaha's place, he found it to be a butcher's shop!
A very ordinary looking man came out and said, "Welcome holy one. I am Dharmavyadaha, the man you seek."
"How can a butcher be spiritually enlightened?" Kaushik asked in amazement. Dharmavyadaha smiled and asked with compassion, "Did the wise woman send you to me or because you felt sorry about the crane that you burnt?"
The sage could not contain himself and thought how this butcher could know so much. He blurted out, "But butchering animals is such a sinful profession! Are you not ashamed?"
"I am not," the butcher calmly said. "I am engaged in a family trade. I work hard and honestly at it. There is no reason for me to be ashamed of my work!"
"Holy one," continued the butcher. "If I do injury to other creatures, so do you as you did to the crane. "
"As we walk on the soil, we are trampling on numerous creatures. Nor is the air devoid of creatures."
"You see that farmer tilling the land? He is killing so many animals that thrive under the soil."
They reached the butcher's house. The butcher's wife was doing her house hold chores and his two boys were playing. The butcher introduced the sage to his wife and boys.
Then the butcher entered the house and touched his parents' feet.
"Here is a learned Brahmin who has come from a far-off place." the butcher told his old father.
"Welcome, holy one," the father said.
Before leaving the room, the butcher remarked, "My parents are my Gods. My wife and my children attend to them with devotion and love. We consider caring for them to be our greatest duty."
"In doing one's duty cheerfully, lies true virtue. This is what the dutiful wife sent you to learn."
"Oh learned one!" the butcher continued, "You have run away from your responsibilities and deserted your aged father and mother. Spiritual achievement is useless if one has neglected one's Dharma, or duties."
The sage remembered his mother crying, "Who will look after us when you are gone my son?"
The sage apologized, "You have shown me the path of true virtue, the true meaning of Dharma, Oh pious one. I am deeply indebted to you."
Kaushik immediately returned to his parents and served them lovingly till the end of their days.
if we take care of our old aged parents there would not be any need for old age homes. Please take care of them otherwise our children may treat us the same way.
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