In a jungle, there lived a lion by the name of Vajradaunstra. A jackal called Chaturaka and a wolf called Kravyamukha were his attendants.
One day, an expectant female camel, who was in labor pains, was left behind by a caravan. In the deep jungle, she fell prey to the lion. When he had torn off her womb, a little baby camel came out. The lion and the other animals fed themselves on the female camel’s flesh and were all very content. But the lion spared the young camel and brought him home alive. He said to him, “Little camel, you have nothing to fear, either from me or from anyone else, so run about fearlessly in the jungle, just as you please. We’ll call you Shankukarana, because your ears are like wedges.”
And so the four of them began to live together very happily. They entertained one another telling stories.
Shankukarana began to grow up but he would never leave the lion even for a moment.
One day, the lion had a fight with a wild elephant. The elephant wounded the lion so badly with his tusks that Vajradaunstra was unable even to walk. Exhausted with hunger, he said to the others, “Look for some animal that I can kill, even in this condition, so that your hunger and mine can be satisfied.”
And so the jackal, the wolf, and the camel wandered in the jungle until evening, but they could not find any animal at all. So they returned empty-handed.
Chaturaka the jackal began to think, “If the lion would only kill Shankukarana, then we could all feed on him for a couple of days. But our master will not kill him because he has given him the assurance that his life will be safe. However, with the help of my wits, I shall influence the camel in such a way that he will offer himself, of his own accord, to the lion, for: “There is nothing in this world That a clever man can’t achieve. So a wise man Should make the most of his wits.”
With this thought Chaturaka approached the camel and said to him, “Shankukarana! The Master is dying of hunger. If he does die, we too shall be destroyed. So I am going to tell you how you could be useful to him. Please listen carefully.”
“Do tell me,” said Shankukarana, “and I shall attend to it quickly. And if I do anything for the master, according to our religion, I shall be rewarded a hundred-fold.”
“Then, friend,” said the jackal, “you should offer your body to the master to save his life, and for this sacrifice, the master will guarantee that you will be given a body twice your present size in your next life.”
“Very well then,” replied Shankukarana, “I agree.”
Then all the animals went to the lion and said, “Master! The sun has already gone down and we have still not been able to find any animal. But if you will guarantee that Shankukarana will have a body twice his present size in the next life, then he is prepared to offer himself to you as a holy sacrifice.”
“Indeed, I do promise that it shall be so,” replied the lion.
Hardly had he uttered these words when the wolf and the jackal fell upon the camel and tore up his body. And that was the end of him.
Afterwards, the lion said to the jackal, “Chaturaka! Watch this carcass carefully while I go to the river for a bath and worship the gods.” Then the lion went off.
When he had gone, the jackal thought to himself, “How can I contrive to enjoy this carcass all to myself?”
He thought about it for a little while, then he hit upon a plan.
He said to the wolf, “Ho! Wolf! You’re hungry, aren’t you? Until the master comes back, have a few mouthfuls of this camel’s flesh. I’ll make up a story to tell him, as an excuse, when he returns.”
But the wolf had hardly begun to eat, when the jackal shouted, “Look out, Kravyamukha! Here’s the master coming back! Leave it alone! Get away from it!” The wolf immediately stopped eating.
When the lion arrived, he saw that the camel’s heart had been removed. He frowned and said angrily, “Who has contaminated my food? Tell me his name and I shall kill him on the spot!”
The wolf started looking at the jackal, as much as to say, “Well, go on, say something to calm him down.”
But the jackal only smiled and said to the wolf, “You ate the heart when I told you not to. Now enjoy the fruit of what you have done.”
When the wolf heard this, he was afraid for his life and took to his heels.
At this point, a caravan, heavily loaded, was coming along the same path. The leading camel had a large bell round his neck. When the lion heard the jingling sound in the distance, he said to the jackal, “Go and see where this terrifying noise is coming from. I’ve never heard it before.”
The jackal went a little way off, then returned and said, “Master! Leave this place as quickly as you can, if you want to stay alive!”
“Friend,” said the lion, “why are you frightening me? Tell me, what is it?”
“Master,” said the jackal, “Yama is very angry with you because you have killed a camel before the hour appointed for his death. He has come personally and has brought with him the father and grandfather of the dead camel, to have revenge on you, and the noise you hear comes from the bell that he has tied round the leading camel’s neck.”
When the lion saw the caravan approaching, he left off eating the camel and ran for his life.
After that, the jackal had the camel’s flesh all to himself and it lasted him many, many days.
“And so,” continued Damanaka, “that’s why I said: ‘A cunning man, Even at the cost of tormenting others, Artfully looks after his own interests And keeps his plans a secret, As Chaturaka the jackal did In the jungle.'”
After Damanaka had left, Sanjivaka started thinking, “I’m a grass-eater, but I have become the follower of a flesh-eater. I’m in a spot. What shall I do? Where shall I go? How can I get back my peace of mind? Perhaps if I go to Pingalaka and humbly beg for my life, he may not kill me. Then again, suppose I leave this place and go somewhere else … ? But no, then some other flesh-eater will kill me. I think it is better to go to the lion.”
And so, having made this resolution, Sanjivaka went slowly to the lion’s den. He found Pingalaka sitting in exactly the same attitude as Damanaka had described. So shocked was Sanjivaka that he immediately backed away from the lion and stood at a distance, without even bowing to him. And so it was that Pingalaka too saw Sanjivaka in the same attitude as Damanaka had described.
Furiously, he fell upon the bullock, tearing his back with his sharp claws. Sanjivaka pointed out his horns against Pingalaka’s belly and stood, ready to fight.
When Karataka and Damanaka saw the lion and the bullock thus confronting each other, with faces red as the Kinshuka flower and eyes like fire, Karataka said to his brother, “You stupid fellow! You did wrong in creating enmity between these two. This proves that you don’t really know the nitishastras, for they say: ‘Only a man who can reach his goal Through cunningness and intrigue, Avoiding war, Deserves to be a minister.’ So if you are really shrewd, you must now find a way to bring this conflict to an end. Otherwise, both of them will be destroyed. On the other hand, if only the bullock is killed and you regain your position as minister, then everyone will avoid the master. As they say: ‘A good king, served by a wicked minister, Is shunned by all, Just like a lake of sweet water, When it has crocodiles all round it.’ But what is the use of giving advice to a fool; no good comes of it, for: ‘Advice given to fools, Instead of calming them, Only makes them more excited.'”
“That is what the bird found out when he gave advice to the monkey.”
“How was that?” asked Damanaka.
And Karataka told : THE STORY OF THE MONKEY AND A BIRD CALLED SUCHIMUKHA
