ब्राह्मणचौरपिशाच-कथा -- The Brahmin, Thief And The Demon

 ब्राह्मणचौरपिशाच-कथा -- The Brahmin, Thief And The Demon

     शत्रवोऽपि हितायैव विवदन्तः परस्परम् ।

     चौराण जीवितं दत्तं राक्षसेन तु गोयुगम् ॥

अस्ति कस्मिंश्चिदधिष्ठाने दरिद्रो द्रोणनामा ब्राहमणः प्रतिग्रहधनः, सततं विशिष्टवस्त्रानुलेपनगन्धमाल्यालङ्कारताम्बूलादिभोगपरिवजितः, प्ररूढकेशश्मश्रुनखरोमेपचितः, शीतोष्णवातवर्षादिभिछ परिशोपितशरीरः । तस्य च केनापि यजमानेनानुकम्पया शिशुगोयुगं दत्तम् । ब्राहमणेन च बालभावादारम्य याचितघृततैलयवसादिभिः सम्बर्ध्य सुपुष्टम कृतम् ।

तच्च दृष्ट्वा सहसैव कश्चिच्चौरश्चिन्तितवान् -- "अहमस्य ब्राहमणस्य गोयुगमिदमपहरिष्यामि" इति निश्चित्य निशायां बन्धनपाशं गृहीत्वा यावत्प्रस्थितस्तावदर्धमार्गे प्रवरलतीक्ष्णदन्तपङ्क्तिः, उन्नतनासावंशः, प्रकटरक्तान्तनयनः, उपचितस्नायुसन्ततगात्रः, शुष्ककपोलः, सुहुतहुतवहपिङ्गलश्मश्रुकेशशरीरः कश्चिद दृष्टः । दृष्ट्वा च तं तीव्रभयत्रस्तोऽपि चौरोऽब्रवीत् -- "को भवान् ?" इति ।

स आह -- "सत्यवचनोऽहं ब्रह्मराक्षसः । भवानप्यात्मानं निवेदयतु ।"

सोऽब्रवीत् -- "अहं क्रूरकर्मा चौरो, दरिद्रब्राहमणस्य गोयुगं हर्तुं प्रस्थितोऽस्मि ।"

अथ जातप्रत्ययो राक्षसोऽब्रवीत् -- "भद्र! षष्ठाह्नकालिकोऽहम् । अतस्तमेव ब्राहमणद्य भक्षयिष्यामि । तत्सुन्दरमिदम् । एककार्यावेलायाम् ।"

अथ तौ तत्र गत्वैकान्ते कालमन्वेषयन्तौ स्थितौ ।

प्रसुप्ते च ब्राहमणे तद्भक्षणार्थं प्रस्थितं राक्षसं दृष्ट्वा चौरोऽब्रवीत् -- "भद्र ! नैष न्यायः । यतो गोयुगे मयाऽपहृते पश्चात्त्वमेनं भक्षय ।"

सोऽब्रवीत् -- "कदाचिदयं ब्राहमणो गोशब्देन बुध्यते तदानर्थकोऽयं ममारम्भः स्यात् ।"

चौरोऽप्यब्रवीत् -- "तवापि यदि भक्षणायोपस्थितस्यान्तरे एकोऽप्यन्तरायः स्यात्, तदाहमपि न शक्नोमि गोयुगमपहर्तुम् । अतः प्रथमं मयापहृते गोयुगे पश्चात्त्वया ब्राहमणो भक्षयितव्यः ।"

इत्थं चाहमहमिकया तयार्विवदतोः समुत्पन्ने द्वैधे प्रतिरववशाद् ब्राहमणो जजागार ।

अथं तं चौरोऽब्रवीत् -- "ब्राहमण ! त्वामेवायं राक्षसो भक्षयितुमिच्छति" इति ।

राक्षसोऽप्याह -- "ब्राहमण ! चौरोऽयं गोयुगं तेऽपहर्तुमिच्छति ।"

एवं श्रुत्वोत्थाय ब्राहमणः सावधाने भूत्वेष्टदेवतामन्त्रध्यानेनात्मानं राक्षसादुद्गूर्णलगुडेन च चौराद् गोयुगं ररक्ष ।

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     An enemy can also become a well-wisher. Owing to the argument the demon saved the brahmin's pair of calves.

In a town there lived an extremely poor brahmin by the name of Drona. His livelihood depended on people's charity and alms. He could never enjoy good clothes, beauty aids, perfumes, ornaments, betel, etc. His beard, moustache and nails were always untrimmed. Summer, rains and inclement weather had made his body emaciated. A man performing a yagya noticed the abject penury of the brahmin and gifted him with a pair of calves. Right from the time the calves were young, the brahmin would collect oil, ghee, grass, etc and feed the calves and the calves soon grew up and became strong.

A thief noticed the brahmin's calves and decided "I will steal this Brahman's pair of calves". During the night, he collected a rope and left his home with the intention of stealing the calves. Half way down the road he saw a ferocious looking person with a row of sharp teeth, upraised nose, large red eyes, large veins showing on his body, lean face, and flame-coloured beard and moustache. Looking at this person, the thief got scared. Yet, he mustered enough courage and asked this person, -- "Who are you?"

The person answered, -- "I am a brahmin-devouring demon by the name of Satyavachan. Please introduce yourself."

The thief replied, -- "I am a thief by the name of Kroorkarma. I have started from home in order to steal the pair of calves of the poor brahmin."

Reposing his trust in the thief, the demon said, "Friend! I have not eaten since six days. I shall now eat the brahmin. Really good! We both have the same kind of work."

Both reached the brahmin's house and waited at a quiet spot for the right moment.

Watching him sleep, the demon with the intention to eat the brahmin, moved towards him. The thief called out, -- "Sir, this is not right. You eat the brahmin after I have stolen and taken away the calves."

The demon said, -- "If the brahmin wakes up from the noise of the calves then for me all is in vain."

The thief said, -- "While you are eating the brahmin if some hurdle comes our way then I will not be able to steal the calves. Therefore, I will take the calves first, then you eat the brahmin."

Their argument increased, both were opposing each other and in the midst of this discussion the brahmin woke up.

On seeing the brahmin awake, the thief said, "O brahmin! this demon wants to eat you."

Promptly, the demon said, "O brahmin, this thief wants to steal the pair of calves."

On hearing both of them the brahmin stood up and became alert, and remembered God. By remembering God, he was able to save himself from the demon. He then picked up a stick and saved his calves from the thief.