In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of Bhishmachaarya’s interesting story about the tiger and the fox. He is narrating this story as part of a bigger discussion on “Trust” as a very important leadership quality. Bhishmachaarya explains how the “Dharmatma fox” is passing the orders as an able minister and how the tiger listens to the latter and executes the orders perfectly as per the principles of “Dharma”. As a result, we’ve seen that the other animals find out the nexus between the tiger and the “Dharmatma fox” and decide to break this up! Thus, the animals create a situation wherein the tiger starts developing enmity towards the “Dharmatma fox” in the context of “stealing its prey”! As the tiger starts thinking whether the “Dharmatma fox” would have really stolen his prey, the animals add fuel to the fire that afterall a fox is a fox, and it is known to be cunning. The animals together advise the tiger not to believe in the fox’s words!
Going by the animals’ advice, the tiger starts developing negative intentions about the “Dharmatma fox” and starts thinking what kind of punishment can be given to the latter. At this moment, the tiger suddenly has a thought in his mind – “Oh! This “Dharmatma fox” has taken a “Pratignya” not to eat the carcass of other animals, hasn’t it? Now, this comes as a contradiction here – While the animals are hell-bent that the “Dharmatma fox” has stolen my prey, however, the underlying fact per my knowledge is that this “Dharmatma fox” doesn’t consume non-vegetarian food! Which of the two will be true?” Even as this thought comes, the tiger discards it, and decides to go ahead with whatever the animals said! The tiger decides to kill the “Dharmatma fox” for its “corporal mistake”! With this decision raging in his mind, the tiger starts walking ferociously towards the house of the “Dharmatma fox”.
At this time, the tiger’s mother stops her son mid-way! She sees her son raging with extreme anger and asks him thus, “Oh my dear son! You seem to be furious with something / someone! What happened?” As his mother asks, the tiger replies thus, “Oh Mother! The “Dharmatma fox” whom I had appointed as my minister has apparently stolen my prey and has consumed it without my knowledge! I thought he would be a “Dharmatma”, but he has proved to me today that he is just another fox without any truth! Afterall foxes are known for their vicious nature and cunning approach, isn’t it? Today I’ve been cheated by this fox, and I’m going to execute him for doing this to me!” Saying thus, the tiger tries to move out from that place, only to be stopped by his mother once again! The mother is now asking a few questions to her son thus, “Oh son! I think you’re hurrying up with your decision! First of all, who told you that the “Dharmatma fox” has consumed your prey? Is that someone a “Dharmatma”? Did you verify that claim? Or, did you personally see the “Dharmatma fox” consuming your prey with your own two eyes? Or, did the “Dharmatma fox” consume the prey in front of everyone?” As the mother asks thus, the tiger replies back – “Oh Mother! A consortium of animals came up to me and told me that the “Dharmatma fox” had consumed my prey! No! They are not “Dharmatmas” to my knowledge! I have not verified their claims! No! The “Dharmatma Fox” did not consume my prey in front of my two eyes!”
As the son says thus, the mother fires back thus, “Oh son! If such is the case, how can you conclude that the “Dharmatma fox” was the one who consumed your prey? You’re saying that some random animals came and told this to you. You’re saying that they are not “Dharmatmas”! How can you trust the words of an “Adharma-Atman” more than a “Dharmatma”? Moreover, you’ve not verified the claim by yourselves! Also, this incident hasn’t happened in front of your eyes! How did you even think of concluding that the “Dharmatma fox” who is not even in this picture has consumed your prey? Is this the way a king should operate? Oh son! You should never go by people’s random words and make decisions. You should verify facts and then decide. Don’t get carried away by people’s words. They might have selfish reasons behind their words! You’re saying that the animals who came to you aren’t “Dharmatmas”. They might have a vested agenda behind them, which they might not reveal to you! Hence, first go and enquire what exactly had happened, and then decide whether to punish the “Dharmatma fox” or not! Do not come to a conclusion without verifying facts!”
Saying thus, the Mother tiger renders important advice to her son, which is also equally important to all of us as well. Many times, we too blindly get carried away by the words of some people and we fail to verify their claims before we make a decision. So now the onus is on the son to take the call! Is he going to pay heed to his mother’s words, or is he going to stick to his earlier decision of executing the “Dharmatma fox”? We shall wait and witness the answer to this question in the next episode! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 