Prescribed duty!


Sauti continued-One day Rsi Ruru entered an extensive forest & saw an old serpent of Dundubha specie lying stretched on ground. Ruru lifted his staff to kill the serpent. I’ve done no harm to you, then why you want to kill me, said the serpent. Ruru on hearing those words said-My wife dear to me as life, was bit by a snake & so I took vow to kill every snake I come across

 

Dundubha said-O Brahmana! The snake which bites man are quite different in type. I’m a serpent only in name & as such should not be killed. Rsi seeing that the serpent was bewildered with fear stopped himself from killing. He then asked-How you’ve taken birth in serpent specie? Tell me all about yourself

 

Dundubha replied-I was formerly a sage named Sahasrapat & was cursed by a Brahmana in wrath to become a snake. On being asked how long he would remain serpent, Dundubha said-In past I had a friend whose name was Khagama. One day when he was engaged in Agnihotra (fire sacrifice), I made a mock snake with blades of grass & in frolic attempted to frighten him with it. He fell unconscious & on regaining senses said in anger-Since you made a powerless mock snake to frighten me, I curse you to become a venom less serpent

 

I knew the power of his penances & begged him with an agitated heart. I joined hands & said-It was just a joke, pls forgive me & revoke the curse. Seeing me troubled, my friend was moved & said-When you will see Rsi Ruru, son of Pramati, you’ll be delivered from the curse

 

Dundubha regaining his native form & said to Ruru-The highest virtue of a Brahmana is sparing life of others. He should ever be mild, truthful & forgiving. He should be well versed in Vedas & Vedangas & should inspire all to believe in God. The duty of Kshatriya is not yours, who can be stern, wield scepter & rule the subjects properly

 

Krsna says in Gita

śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt

sva-dharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ

 

It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous

 

We all have respective responsibilities and should adhere in discharging it to our best capability. Transgressing on another’s shoes is not prescribed and in fact brings infamy

 

Thoughts? #gameoflife

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