15. THE UNGRATEFUL MAN

What tiger, monkey, snake advised
I did not do; and so
That dreadfully ungrateful man
Has brought me very low.

The Brahman Ramana and his wife Meenakshi staying in Chiklampur, a dry and desolate district were always in perpetual penury. Ramana like a true Brahmin used to go for alms every morning to fill theirs and their two children’s stomach. Most of the days he will return with just fist full of rice and some lentils, which was hardly enough to fill their stomach. There were many days they had slept in empty stomach with nothing to eat. Though Ramana was erudite and well read in Vedas like any good Brahman, but there was no one who wished to get themselves educated in Vedas or prosperous enough to call Ramana to propitiate the Gods by singing hymns and `slokas’ from the Vedas. Meenakshi though dutiful wife one day lost her head seeing the grinding poverty and scolded Ramana `As a man you are to be the protector and breadwinner for your family. Why don’t you look for fortunes elsewhere instead of allowing us to wallow in this abject poverty?’

Ramana Piqued by wife Meenakhsi’ words also feeling it’s a apt piece of advise, took leave of his village next day itself. Carrying the meagre food bundle in the end of stick he started his journey along the long forest route to reach the next neighboring country.

As the day turned to noon and he must have reached the deeper part of the jungles, he decides to rest for a while and partake the meagre morsel send by his wife Meenakshi. Before having the meals he thought he would look for some water, say a spring or water hole. Thus searching around suddenly he stumbled on an old well covered by weeds and grass. Seeing the depression he took a stick and try to find the opening of the well. As he was searching he suddenly heard deep down cries and voices of living things. Quickly clearing the twigs and branches when he peeped inside he found under the glow of Sun’s ray a growling tiger, a monkey prancing around, a slithering snake and a man standing amidst them. As he looked at them in wonderment, they too looked up and spotted Ramana. Their eyes shone with hope seeing him. They called out in chorus. Friend you seemed to be like a God send savior, an answer to our prayers. We are in deep peril. We victim of a bad fate fell in to this hollow well and are trapped here. If we are not saved we are sure to find the end of our life here.

As he was looking at them still trying to decide as what he should do? The tigers voice pleaded once again. `Friend, you seem like a noble soul. There is great virtue in saving a life. Even we, who are ordained by Mother Nature to kill and eat,we don’t kill a prey unless it is absolute necessity to sustain us for living this life. We don’t kill and hoard for tomorrows meat, even if we spot a healthy and easy prey, in groups of deer and buffalo.

The Brahman said `No doubt I agree to your words, but we humans are always full of fear for you ferocious creatures. We stalk the jungle with fear lest we find one of you and make a meal of us.’
`Sir, I bind myself by triple oath that no danger threatens you from me. Have pity and pull me out’ cried the tiger.

Even if I were to die in the hands of the ferocious beast, I will think it’s a salvation unto me for the act is only to save the life of another fellow creature, so thinking the pious Brahmin pulled the tiger out of the well.

Next the monkey said `Sir, please pull me out too from this predicament. You can count on me for help anytime you are in trouble. We had always been your `sevak' and friend. You know Lord Rama too was helped by our chieftain Lord Hanuman and rest of our clan. Hence rest assured I would be your `sevak’ whenever you wish to have my services. Please pull me out’
Ramana quickly pulled the monkey out and freed him.
Next it was the snake in the pleading line. `Sir, help me to get back to my kith and kin staying in the hole under the peepul tree. My wife will be waiting and will be fearful about my safety. Good fortunes will befall you if you save my life. I and my clan will shower blessing on you.’

Ramana told `But I am afraid just seeing your hood and slithering frame. We tread our fields in constant fear lest we trample on one of you and lest you bare your fangs and inject the deadly poison on us in a fit of anger’
`Fear not, I bind myself by triple oath; I will bring you no harm. Also at any time you can call me for any help in the course of your life’

No doubt I am blessed by the Gods to save lives. Given the opportunity to do good deeds let me do so, rest will happen as destined, so thinking the pious Brahmin took the snake out of the well and let him free.

As he was looking down now at one of his own clan, the man, the freed animals chorused in unison and told him `Sir, you may think there is nothing to fear from one of your own clan. But we wise with our living experience, can recognize the evil in his mind. We warn you, you will come to regret your action if you free him from the well.
But the man pleaded from the well `Sir, I am Rajan the goldsmith from the neighboring country. Your `shahtras' would have taught you to get a human life is not easy. Don’t allow a precious human life to perish hearing the words of less endowed. You will only collect sin on you person.’

Ramana thought there is truth in his words, having freed the rest my sympathies rightly should be for one of my own clan. Let me free him. So thinking he pulled him out of the well.

The man told `Thank you sir for saving my life. I stay in Baruni and ply my trade as goldsmith. If ever you are in need of my service, I will be glad to be of use.

Having freed the living being trapped in the well he went back to eat his food and resume his journey.

The grateful tiger, monkey and the snake went their way after once again assuring Ramana they will be ready to do anything under their power if he chooses to call them.

Ramana than went his way in search of good fortune. But alas lady luck eluded him. He found people in the next city too not receptive to his talents, themselves struggling to make a living. Seeing his luck not paying any dividends, a weary Ramana decided to return home back to his family lest they perish in hunger and poverty.

He was drudging his way back along the same jungle path when he remembered his friends and their kind words as he reached the old well.
As he recalled the monkey and wished he could see it, the monkey appeared from somewhere. It took him to a nearby fruit orchard and collected the choicest ripe fruits from the trees and fed him with love.

Ramana thus having rested now recalled the tiger. Shortly he heard the ruffle of the dry leaves nearby and the tiger appeared from behind the bush. `Sir, I am pleased to meet you again. Do command of what service, I can be for you.’

Ramana recounted his tale of failure and that he could not make any wealth for his family waiting back home.
The tiger on hearing this said `Sir, I may be of some help to in this. Please come to my cave. I have a packet of jewels left here by a prince some time back. The prince was slayed by one of the treacherous and left to rot here in the forest. I had kept the jewels in my cave. It may be of use to you. Please come to the cave. I will give you the jewelry.’
When the prince went to the cave he found the most precious and costly jewelry kept in the cloth bag.
This indeed is enough for me for my life thought Ramana. I can keep my family well fed and well clothed by selling this and getting the proceeds out of it. As one door get closed God is kind to show another thought Ramana. He thanked the tiger and took the jewelry and proceeded to Baruni where he remembered his friend goldsmith is plying his trade.

On reaching Baruni in a short while he located his friend goldsmith in his shop. He showed him the jewels and told`My friend, this I got from the tiger. A piece of good fortune finally is bestowed on me. Kindly evaluate this and help me to sell it to a wealthy person of this country.’

The goldsmith immediately recognized them as belonging to the prince of the kingdom who was feared dead by the king and the people, as it had been long he had not returned from one of his travels. The king had proclaimed a good sum of prize for any informant about his son.

He on a sly send word to the king that the jewelry of the prince has been retrieved also the person who is having it is kept by him in custody.

On hearing this the soldiers of the king son landed at the doorstep of the goldsmith, caught Ramana by the scruff and dragged him to the palace in spite of his protests. Soon he was put in the gallows by the king who firmly believed he was the murderer of his son from the reports of the goldsmith and rewarded him the prize money as announced.

Time passed. Ramana could not prove his innocence and was languishing in the jail. He often remembered the words of tiger, monkey and the snake that `You should not believe this man’

As he recalled the snake friend, soon the snake through a hole in his cell made an entry in to his prison and told `Sir, I am feeling bad, for no fault of yours you are punished. All due to the evil designs of the goldsmith whose mind is like poisonous venom. Don’t worry I will find a way to free you.

I will go to the queen’s chamber and do a deathly bite in such a way that the only remedy to save her will be touch of your hands. Just by mere touch of your hands will restore her back to health.

So saying the snake went and did just as he told. Soon there was uproar in the city. Drums were beaten and the citizens informed about the state of their dear queen. Any one with any magic potion to save her was invited to the palace.

The news reached the prison too through the guards. Ramana on hearing this told the guards
`Send word to the king, I will be able to save the life of the queen from the deadly poison.’
Soon he was escorted to the queen’s chamber. As instructed by the snake he went and touched the hand of the queen and gently rubbed it and Lo! The poison from her body started receding immediately. The deadly bluish pallor of her skin was gradually replaced by normal color. The queen opened her eyes and there was jubilation all around.

Ramana was called to the palace and the king enquired how a murderer of his son had the way to cure his dear queen from sure clutches of death.

Ramana recounted all that had happened to him right from the time he left his home. The deceit of the goldsmith was brought to light. All for some paltry sum he was ready to be ungrateful to the very person who saved his life.

The king summoned the goldsmith and punished him for wanton deceit and untruthfulness.

To Ramana he gave the honor of royal priest of the palace and gifted him numerous villages and lot of wealth. Ramana brought his family from the village and henceforth lived a life of charity helping in the best of ways every living being and doing sacrifices and religious functions fit for a Brahman.

He remembered it was the good deed done with out any expectation, which brought him all the glory and wealth.