In the previous episode, we had witnessed Sage Maarkandeya explaining the significance of the “Pathivrata Dharma” through a small illustration of Sage Kaushika meeting a woman who is an epitome of this aspect of “Dharma”. Sage Kaushika, as we had witnessed yesterday, goes around to obtain “Bhiksha” for his meal of the day. As he was going around, he comes across a woman who is very pious and he enters her home, seeking some food from her. As he entered, he was made to wait by the woman, who was at that time serving her ailing husband. As he was made to wait, Sage Kaushika got very angry and shouted at the woman when she came to him. He asked her angrily as to how fair it is to keep a sage waiting like this! In return, the woman asked him back calmly as to how fair it is for a great sage to get angry like this! A sage should be an epitome of calmness and patience, isn’t it? If he is getting angry this way, just for a simple reason of being made to wait, and that too for a genuine reason, what is there to get angry about?
Moving on thus, as the woman replies calmly in this way, Sage Kaushika gets even more angry! He now takes his “Kamandalam” (Vessel) quickly, pours some water in his hand from it and is about to inflict a curse on her. He starts saying the curse thus, Oh! Since you’ve spoken like this to me, I’m inflicting a curse on you….” Even as Sage Kaushika could complete his sentence, the woman stops him and asks back thus, “Oh Sage Kaushika! Please stop this! Don’t do all this with me! Do you think I’m that innocent swan upon whom you inflicted your curse upon for the first time?” 🙂 Upon hearing this, Sage Kaushika is stunned! How does she know that I just inflicted a curse on that swan and put it to death with my mere looks? With this thought process running in his mind, Sage Kaushika calms down a bit and asks her, “How do you know that I just cursed a swan? You’re not a normal woman. Please tell me who you are!”
As Sage Kaushika asks thus, the woman replies back: “Oh Sage Kaushika! I know whatever you’ve done in the past. Don’t worry! I’m strong in my “Dharma”. I’m serving my ailing husband to the best of my ability. Moreover, I’m also serving my aged in-laws in whatever way they want me to serve. Hence, since I follow my “Paathivrathyam” meticulously, this is the one which makes me to realize who you are. I’m of course not a great sage like you. But since I follow my “Dharma” correctly, I obtain this realization!”
The woman continues further thus, “Oh Sage Kaushika! I’m actually nothing at all! You now go to the city side and meet someone called Vaadha. He is someone who sells meat by the roadside. Go and meet him and he will make you understand various other aspects of “Dharma” as well!” As the woman says thus, Sage Kaushika couldn’t stand it anymore. His ego hurt him a lot. He replies back thus, “Oh! Of course, I can understand your Paathivrathyam, but now who is this Vaadha? Why should I go and meet him, who is afterall a salesman of meat? Do you even know whom you’re talking with?” As the sage says thus, the woman replies in her own witty style as usual: “Of course I know who you are! I know that you do not know any aspect of “Dharma” properly! You first go there and meet this person. Once you do, you will know what “Dharma” really is! Hence, don’t waste your time standing here and talking with me!”
As the woman says thus, Sage Kaushika did not have anything else to talk to her! He quietly leaves the place and goes to the person whom she wanted him to meet. So for today, let us understand up to this point, and we shall wait till the next episode, to continue this discussion further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 