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There was a city called Vardhaman. A very prosperous merchant, lived there. His name was Dantil. He exercised authority over the whole city.
During his administration, he kept both the common people and the king very happy.
After sometime, the marriage of Dantil’s daughter took place.
Dantil invited the entire public and the kings officers. He entertained them sumptuously, gave them presents and honored them.
After the wedding, the king himself with queen and the entire court were invited along to dantil’s house and he showed them great respect.
A servant by the name of Gorambh, who used to sweep the king’s palace, came there too, but uninvited. He sat down on a seat meant for someone else. Dantil caught him by the neck and turn him out.
On this, he felt insulted and could not sleep all night and was thinking only that how he can take revenge of this insult?
Several days later, early in the morning, when the king was not yet awake, Gorambh was sweeping the floor near his bed and said, ‘Good heavens! Dantil has become so daredevil nowadays that he actually embraces the queen!’
The king heard this, he jumped up and shouted, ‘Gorambh! Is that true? Has Dantil really embraced my queen?’
‘My Lord,’ replied Gorambh ‘I was gambling all night and didn’t sleep at all. I am feeling drowsy. I really don’t know what I’ve been saving.’
“Jealous, the king thought to himself, ‘Yes! the servant Gorambh is allowed to go about freely in the place and so is Dantil. It is quite possible that Gorambh has seen Dantil embracing my queen, its true that what a man ponders over, sees or performs during the day, he will mutter in his dreams.” There is no doubt about it when a woman is involved. She smiles at one man, with half-opened lips, throws a little remark at another, at the same time flirting with the third, her eyes half closed, whilst in her heart she dreams of yet another man, the one she loves. Who can depend on the love of such a woman, with eyebrows like the bows of an archer? The man who thinks that a woman loves him, is a fool. He falls into her trap-she’ll treat him like a toy.
The king’s thoughts were so troubled that, from that day onward, he withdrew his favors from Dantil and, he forbade him to enter the palace. On this Dantil was astounded to see this sudden change in the king’s attitude and said to himself. ‘Even in my dreams, I have done no harm to anyone, not to the king himself, nor to anyone in his family.
Some time passed.
One day, when Dantil wanted to pass through the gateway to the palace, he was stopped by the guards. Gorambh, who was sweeping the floor, saw this and he said with a smirk, ‘Ho! Guards! That follow is the king’s favorite. He can arrest or release people, just as he pleases. He threw me out. Be careful, you may suffer the same fate.’
Dantil heard this, and he thought to himself, ‘It is sure Gorambh has caused the trouble.
Dantil felt upset and returned home in a very dejected mood. He thought it over and that evening, and after a long thought he invited Gorambh to his house, gave him a pair of garments and said kindly, ‘My dear friend, it was not because It was angry that I turn you out that day but because it was an impropriety for you to take the seat you took-it was reserved for a Brahmin. The Brahmin felt insulted, that’s why I had to turn you out. Forgive me.’
Gorambh saw the clothes, he was very pleased. He said to Dantil, ‘Sir, now I forgive you. You have
expressed your regrets and also honored me.
Dantil said with a smile. “You are my friend. Please don’t tell the king that I have invited you. Moreover, the king liaff got a bad habit. He eats cucumber in the lavatory.”
“Is it so?-Gorambh asked.
“Yes”
Gorambh was astonished.
Dantil respectfully send off Gorambh.
The next morning, he went to the palace and started sweeping the floor. When he had made sure that the king was lying half-awake, he said, ‘The king is really indiscreet, he eats cucumber in the lavatory!’
“The king was taken back to hear this and he shouted, ‘You! Gorambh! What’s that nonsense you’re talking! It’s only because you’re my servant that I don’t kill you. Have you ever seen me doing such a thing?’
“My Lord, said Gorambh, ‘I was gambling last night and didn’t sleep at all. This morning I feel drowsy. I really don’t know what I’ve been saying. But if I’ve said anything out of place, please forgive me.’
When the king heard this, he thought to himself, ‘Never in my life have I eaten cucumber in the lavatory. If this fool has said something ridiculous about me, surely what he said about Dantil. was ridiculous too. It was wrong of me to have insulted Dantil. Besides, without him, the whole administrative system, at the palace and in the city, has become weak.’
He considered this carefully, and invited dantil to the palace, presented him with jewels and clothing and reappointed him to his former position.
Moral of The Story “And so,” continued Damanak, “that’s why I said, ‘A man who, out of pride, does not properly handle the high, the middle and the low, shall be ruined, as Dantil was ruined, even though he was the favorite of the king.’ ”
“Brother,” said Sanjivak, “you’re quite right, I’ll do exactly as you say.”
“Then Damanak brought Sanjivak to Pingalak and said, “O my king, I have brought Sanjivak to you. Now I leave everything in your hands.”
Sanjivak bowed before Pingalak and stood before him respectfully.
Pingalak greeted him with similar respect and asked, “My friend, how is the world with you? How do you come to be in this wild jungle?”
On this Sanjivak told him all that had happened to him.
When Pingalak had finished listening to Sanjivak’s story, he said kindly, “My dear Sanjivak, don’t be afraid. Move about as freely as you please in my jungle. However, you must always stay near me, for this jungle is inhabited by wild beasts, dangerous and very powerful animals.
With this, Pingalak went to the bank of the river Yamuna to drink water then he returned to the jungle. He entrusted the administration of his kingdom to Karatak and Damanak and began to listen to Sanjivak’s moral tales-this is how he spent his time.
Sanjivak had made a thorough study of the all shastras, and, in a few days, he considerably enlightened the dull Pingalak and made him forget his wild acts.
Every day they had discussions together in secret. All the other animals stayed at a distance, even Damanak and Karatak were not allowed to approach them.
As the lion would no longer go on hunting, all the animals including Damanak and Karatak began to starve.
Karatak and Damanak gave up all hope of a change in Pingalak’s attitude, they held a discussion together.
“Dear brother Karatak,” said Damanak, “again was in trouble. Ever since Pingalak has been taken up by this talk of Sanjivaka’s, he has neglected all his responsibilities. His entire court has deserted him. Now what are we going to do?”
“Even if the master does not listen to you,” said Karatak, “it is still our duty to set his faults right. You brought the grass-eating Sanjivak to the master. You yourself are responsible for this.”
“That’s very ture,” said Damanak. “It is my fault, not the master’s. Likewise, the Sadhu who trusted Ashadbbhuti were themselves to blame.”
“How was that?” — asked Karatak. And Damanak told this story. THE JACKAL AND THE SADHU