Long
long years ago. In ancient time during the reign of king Brahmadattva of
Varanasi. Bodhisattva was born in a monkey family of Himabanta province. With
great figure he had the strength like of an elephant. He was lucky and at the
same time powerful. He was living in a forest on the turning point of the river
Ganges. At the time there was a crocodile in the river Ganges. By seeing the
strong body of the monkey the wife of the crocodile wised to eat the heart of
the monkey.
The
wife of the crocodile said to him that I have the wish to eat the heart of the
monkey king. You arrange for it. The crocodile said “How it is possible? I live
in water. He lives on the land. How can I catch him?”
Catch
him in any way. I will die if I do not get the heart of the monkey.
Crocodile
replied, yes,” There is a way. I shall bring to you. “The crocodile then went
on the bank on the Ganges to Bodhisattva, the king of the monkey. After
reaching the crocodile said,” Oh monkey king you are spoiling your life eating
only the fruit of the bank of this river. On the other bank of the river there
are plenty of many sweet fruits like mango and fig. Are you not willing to eat
those fruits by going to the bank?”
Bodhisattva
replied,” Ganges is very big river. It’s water is unlimited. How can I cross
the river?” The crocodile replied,” If you wish there is a way. I can take you
there on my back. Bodhisattva believed the assurance of crocodile and replied,
well! let us go.”
crocodile
said ,” Please sit on my back.”
Bodhisattva
sat on a back of the crocodile. But going a far the crocodile was slowly
sinking in the water.
Bodhisattva
said,” friend, where are you sinking me? What kind of behavior is it?”
Crocodile replied,” You thought that I was
taking you there with a love towards you and for your benefit. But this is not
that, My wife has a desire to eat your heart. I am arranging for that.” Bodhisattva
replied,”replied. You did well by expressing the idea clearly. Our heart
remains in the branch of the tree. Otherwise while jumping from one tree to
another tree the heart would be divided into pieces.” Saying this Bodhisattva
showed the fruits of fig on the bank of the river and said, please look my heart
swinging in the fig tree.
Then
the crocodile said,” See monkey king, if you give your heart then I will not
kill you.”
Bodhisattva
said,” Take me there. I shall give you my heart which is swinging in the tree.”
Crocodile then took him near the tree. Bodhisattva in one jump sat on the
branch of the tree.
Then Bodhisattva
said,” Oh! foolish crocodile, you believed that the heart of the living beings remain
on the branch of the tree. You are totally a foolish. I made you fool. Could
you understand? In comparison to your huge body your intelligence is very
meagre.”
Saying
this he uttered the following verses:
1. There
is a food garden on the other bank of the river.
No
need of mangoes, black berries and jackfruits.
The
fruit like fig is good for me.
Eating fruit like this let me pass my life in this
bank.
2. Your
body is very large but intelligence is very meagre.
Oh!
Crocodile you are cheated. Oh! devoid sense now you go wherever you like.
Thus,
a man gets repentance after loosing one thousand taka, so also the condition of
the crocodile turns like this with a grief in mind he returned back.
Moral: Patience and intelligence
can face danger.