Preserving Life!

Maharaj Yudhisthira asked Bhisma: What is the duty of a Brahmana during a period of total irreligiosity, when thieves run rampant & anarchy prevails?

Bhisma told a story in reply: Once, during the transitional period between the end of Treta & beginning of Dwapar Yuga, a frightful draught took place lasting 12 years. At that time there was not even a dew drop, what to speak of clouds in sky. The greatest rivers shrank to mere streams & all lakes & wells disappeared. Due to scarcity of water, entire earth appeared desolate. What to speak of others, even Brahmanas became so disturbed that they gave up the performance of their religious duties

Agriculture & cow protection were completely abandoned. Heaps of bones were seen all over & shrill cries of carnivorous birds & beasts were all that could be heard. Elderly persons were forcibly thrown out of their houses. Towns were abandoned. Cows, goats, sheep & buffaloes fought with one another for food & citizens became easy prey for dacoits

All vegetation dried up & the entire earth became bereft of her natural beauty. Ultimately, as men began to go mad because of hunger, they ate one another because of desperation. Even the sages abandoned their vows & left their asramas to wander over earth in search for food

One such sage was Vishwamitra. After leaving his wife & son at home, he wandered, greatly afflicted by hunger & no longer considered which food was clean or unclean. One day he came to a small village in the middle of forest, inhabited by cruel hunters. Dog skins were everywhere & bones and skulls had been gathered in heaps. The inhabitants of this village filled air with harsh voices & quarrelled. Packs of dogs were loitering on all sides

Being extremely famished, the sage searched for food & yet even though he begged door to door, no one gave anything. Finally, he exclaimed: Oh! How much distress has overcome me. Falling to ground due to weakness, Vishwamitra thought: What I can do to avoid death due to starvation?

Just then the sage spied the meat of a freshly killed dog lying on the floor of one of the Candala’s huts. After due consideration he decided to steal the meat, knowing that any act becomes permissible for the purpose of saving one’s life. The principle is: In times of dire necessity, one should first try to steal from a low person, then an equal & only as a last resort steal from an elevated person

Making up his mind, Vishwamitra slept for a while. As night came & all villagers slept, he got up & stealthily entered Candala’s hut. Although lying down, Candala had yet not fallen asleep. He angrily addressed the intruder: I will kill whoever has illegally entered my house

Vishwamitra was very ashamed of having been caught & he said identifying himself: O hunter! I attempted this desperate act & I am on the verge of death due to hunger. Pls do not kill me

Hearing that it was an illustrious sage whom he had threatened, the Candala became fearful & with folded hands respectfully said: Pls forgive me for I didn’t know that you are a Brahmana. Pls tell me what you want

The sage said: Being driven by extreme hunger, I had wanted to steal your meat. Hunger has already destroyed my righteousness & I have given up all consideration of what to eat & what not

Deserving to preserve sage’s ascetic merit, Candala implored: Pls do not degrade yourself by eating dog meat. Look for some other food

Vishwamitra said: I have not eaten anything for a long time & I don’t see any other food available. For preserving life, I am justified in adopting any means without consideration of propriety. I beg you to allow me to eat some of your dog meat. With the extended life that I gain, I’ll be able to perform austerities that will burn to ashes any circumstantial sinful reactions I may have incurred

Despite fervent pleas of Candala to not eat dog meat, Vishwamitra refused to listen & finally ate portions of dog meat. He carried some for his wife & child. As he offered the portion of meat to demigods, Indra resumed pouring rain. The earth again became covered with vegetation

Vishwamitra subsequently performed austerities to burn up his sins

Great lessons!

Thoughts? #gameoflife