The Brahmin who became blind by eating ghee…

Read the previous part here

I know very well that I have become a vehicle of these frogs. But I will wait for some more time, like the Brahmin who became blind by eating ghee.

The other serpent asked “How did that happen?”

MandaVisha replied…

घृतान्धब्राह्मणकथा

The story of the Brahmin who became blind by eating ghee

In a village not so far away from here, lived a Brahmin named YagnaDatta. His wife was promiscuous, and had a lover. She used to prepare sweets made of pure ghee for this lover everyday, and send it across to him secretly.

One day, YagnaDatta noticed her preparing these sweets, and them disappearing without a trace by afternoon. Inquisitive, he asked her “My dear, what are you cooking? And how come I never get to eat this? They also seem to disappear by mid-day…”

The wife replied “My dear, there is a temple of the Devi nearby. I have taken a vrata (vow) and so I make these dishes and offer her everyday, so that she would be pleased and bless me.”


From that day, YagnaDatta’s wife packed the sweets she made, and set out walking from the house towards the temple. She thought that her husband would see her do this a few times, and come to believe that she was truly observing a vrata. This continued for a few days, but YagnaDatta was not convinced.

And so, one day, he followed her secretly, and as she entered the river to take a ritual bath, YagnaDatta hid himself behind the statue of the Devi and waited.

His wife came back in some time, lit the agarbattis (incense) and prayed to the Devi. She said “O Devi, I pray to you everyday. But you are not helping me. Please tell me a way in which my husband will become blind, and not see what I am doing.”

Hearing her, YagnaDatta impersonated a female’s voice and spoke from behind the statue ” Your prayers have been answered, O pious one. Feed your husband sweets made from ghee every day, and he will become blind in a fortnight.”


The wife didn’t have much of a brain, and so she believed what she had heard, and started to feed YagnaDatta sweets made from pure ghee. In a few days, YagnaDatta complained of receding vision, and one fine day, woke up screaming and said “Oh no! I cannot see anything! I have become blind!”

His wife rushed to him, to comfort him, and smiled to herself. “My prayers have come true, thank you o Devi!”

And so she called her lover to meet with her everyday. One day he came, but the very next day, as soon as he stepped into the house, YagnaDatta caught hold of his hair, gave him a sound thrashing, and thew his wife and her lover out of his house.


MandaVisha laughed and concluded “This is why I say – सर्वम् एतद् विजानामि यथा वाह्यो ऽस्मि दर्दुरैः ।
किञ्चित् कालं प्रतीक्षेऽहं घृतान्धो ब्राह्मणो यथा ॥

Jalapāda heard this, and was shocked. He approached MandaVisha, hoping that it was all a misunderstanding. “My dear MadaVisha…what did you say just now? I don’t know if I heard it correctly…”

MandaVisha replied ” I have not said anything against you my lord! I said that I know very well that I have become a vehicle of these frogs. But I will wait for some more time, like the Brahmin who became blessed by eating ghee.

Jalapāda trusted his words, and what else can one say? The frogs were eaten, one by one, until none remained.


“That is why I say”, concluded Sthirajeevin, “the wise should make use of the opportunity and even carry the enemy on their shoulders if needed. The frogs were destroyed when they were carried by the black serpent.

The frogs were killed by MandaVisha since he used his intelligence. I also destroyed the owls since I used my intelligence. It is said…

वने प्रज्वलितो वह्निर् दहन् मूलानि रक्षति ।
समूलोन्मूलनं कुर्याद् वायुर् यो मृदु-शीतलः ॥ २४२ ॥

vane prajvalito vahnir dahan mūlāni rakṣati |
samūlonmūlanaṃ kuryād vāyur yo mṛdu-śītalaḥ || 242 ||

Though it burns fiercely, a blazing fire doesn’t manage to burn the roots of trees. A cool soft wind on the other hand, completely uproots trees and destroys them.

And so being aggressive and engaging an enemy in a fierce battle can only result in his defeat, not his annihilation. But by using a cool mind, and deception, the very roots of the enemy can be uprooted – he can be destroyed in a way that he never recovers.

to be continued…