Vidyapathi & Indra

SHUBHA RATRI 🕉️

A SHORT DHARMIC STORY, THAT TEACHES US ABOUT THE ILL EFFECTS OF PREJUDICE, VANITY, AND THE DANGERS OF KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT WISDOM 😊

(26/9/23)

There was once an old Brahmin by the name VIDYAPATHI, who though was well versed in shastras, was greedy, selfish, and was clever by half, always indulging in baseless arguments, and his aim was to win an argument, however twisted it may be.

He owned a small garden, and he wouldn't let anyone touch the beautiful flowers, and fruits and would shoo away birds and even butterflies. One day an old stray cow was feasting over the leaves of a mango tree, and VIDYAPATHI started shooing her off and beating. As the cow was very old, she dropped dead.

Upon hearing the news, the entire village gathered and started accusing VIDYAPATHI of BrahmaHatya. VIDYAPATHI though got scared of his sin, came up with his usual argument, and said that as INDRA was the Adhipathi of Arms and Legs, it was not him but INDRA who was responsible for this, and started manipulating slokas and shastras to win the argument.

Ultimately the vexed villagers left. One day a young Brahmin came to VIDYAPATHI and told him that he has come from a distant village,and has heard a lot about his beautiful garden, and that he came to see the garden. VIDYAPATHI was elated by the compliment and started showing him around. The young Brahmin asked who tended all the flowers, saplings, trees and fruits. VIDYAPATHI, in Enthusiasm explained how he with his own hands did everything right from planting seeds and everything.

To this the Brahmana said when how come the hands that tended a beautiful garden are yours, and the ones that killed a cow are INDRAS. To this VIDYAPATHI remained silent and when he started getting into his usual argument, the Brahmana revealed himself, who was none other than INDRA himself.

He said "VIDYAPATHI, I have come to renounce the sin I comitted by being Adhipathi to your hand, please chop your hand and give it to me. If you don't, i will do that myself since I cannot shamelessly live without doing prayaschittha (renunciation) for the sin You said I committed". VIDYAPATHI realised his mistake, and fell to the feet of Indra, promising that he would leave to Kashi the next day, and do prayaschittha, and also apologised for misusing his knowledge for his selfish motives.

This story is a reality that mirrors in all our lives one point or the other. We are all humans and are bound to commit mistakes. The grace and elegance is in owning it up and learning and growing. When we use our erudition and knowledge in trivial things like defending ourselves, it is an insult to that vidya, and it limits our growth and maturity. In life, the most horrible suffering is regret, and superlative to it is when we defend our mistakes life long and at the end of life, though we realise it, it's too late to amend. Life is very simple, we complicate it by our egos and prejudices.

THINK🙏

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