Read the previous part here…
There are many comforts, the women are beautiful too, there is only one problem in foreign lands…one’s own go against you.
“How did that happen?”, said KarālaMukha.
RaktaMukha replied…
In a village, not so far away from here, lived a dog named Pāradeśika (The one who lives in a foreign land). He lived a simple life, eating what he found, and troubling no one.
One year, there was a bad famine in the village, and a lot of people moved out of the village. As a result, there was lesser food to eat, and cats and dogs who depended on such food, started dying due to hunger. And so Pāradeśika decided to move to the city, where there were many more people and hence a greater chance of survival.
The other city was huge, and Pāradeśika found a small lane to his liking. The first day he arrived there, he came across a house at the corner of the street, which was easy to access. The housewife always left the back door unlocked, and so Pāradeśika was able to eat his fill from the kitchen and sneak out without being noticed.
This continued for a few days, and Pāradeśika got used to the good life…until…
One night, as he was sneaking out, the dogs of that lane spotted him. “This is our territory”, they barked. “Nice to meet you, I am Pāradeśika from the village”, he barked back. “Go back to your village, this is our lane”, they replied. “I have nowhere else to go, please let me stay here. I am also a dog after all”, pleaded Pāradeśika.
After that, all he heard were snarls and growls, as the other dogs encircled him, and attacked him all at once. Pāradeśika tried to defend himself, but was no match for the battle-hardy city dogs. And so he had to beat a hasty retreat.
“My own village was much better than this glamour town”, lamented Pāradeśika, as he limped back towards his village. “There was a famine, and everyone was hungry, but no one attacked me this way. I am better off in that village – this foreign land and it’s people do not suit me”, he thought to himself as he made the journey back home.
As he entered the village, he was greeted by the other dogs there. “Hey Pāradeśika, welcome back! How was your visit to the foreign lands? Did you eat well? Tell us about it!” they said.
Pāradeśika wiped a tear and gave a dismissible laugh. What can I say about the foreign lands?
सुभिक्षाणि विचित्राणि शिथिलाः पौर-योषितः ।
एको दोषो विदेशस्य स्वजातिर् यद् विरुध्यते ॥ ८३ ॥
subhikṣāṇi vicitrāṇi śithilāḥ paura-yoṣitaḥ |
eko doṣo videśasya svajātir yad virudhyate || 83 ||
There are many comforts, the women are beautiful too, there is only one problem in foreign lands…one’s own go against you.
After listening to what RaktaMukha had to say, KarālaMukha thanked him and went back towards his house. He had decided to fight to the end, come what may. When he reached his house, he fought the other crocodile and managed to kill him after a prolonged battle. He then rebuilt his life, married again, and lived happily ever after. It is rightly said…
अकृत्वा पौरुषं या श्रीः किं तयालस-भाग्यया ।
कुरङ्गो ऽपि समश्नाति दैवाद् उपनतं तृणम् ॥ ८४ ॥
akṛtvā pauruṣaṃ yā śrīḥ kiṃ tayālasa-bhāgyayā |
kuraṅgo ‘pi samaśnāti daivād upanataṃ tṛṇam || 84 ||
What enjoyment can wealth that is obtained without any effort give to you? Even an old bull eats grass that is fallen in front of him.
इति महामहोपाध्याय श्री विष्णुशर्मविरचिते पञ्चतन्त्रेलब्धप्रणाशं नाम चतुर्थं तन्त्रं समाप्तं II
THE END
We reach the end of “लब्धप्रणाशं”, the fourth book of the Panchatantra. Absorb the story today, we will discuss about what we learnt, in tomorrow’s post!
to be continued…