धर्मबुद्धि-पापबुद्धि कथा -- Dharmabuddhi And Paapbuddhi

MKP June 26, 2022

धर्मबुद्धिः कुबुद्धिश्च द्वावेतौ विदितौ मम ।

पुत्रेण व्यर्थपाण्डित्यात् पिता धूमेन घातितः ॥

कस्मिंश्चिदधिष्ठाने धर्मबुद्धिः पापबुद्धिश्चेति द्वे मित्रे प्रतिवसतः स्म । अथ कदाचित्पापबुद्धिना चिन्तितम् -- "अहं तावन्मूर्खो दारिद्रयोपेतश्च । तदेनं धर्मबुद्धिमादाय देशान्तरं गत्वास्याश्रयेणार्थोपार्जनं कृत्वैनमपि वञ्चयित्वा सुखी भवामि ।"

अथान्यस्मिन्नहनि पापबुद्धिधर्मबुद्धि प्राह -- "भो मित्र ! वार्द्धकमावे किं त्वमात्मविचेष्टितं स्मरिष्यसि ? देशान्तरमदृष्ट्वा कां शिशुजनस्य वार्तां कथयिष्यसि ? उक्तञ्च--

देशान्तरेषु बहुविधभाषावेषादि येन न ज्ञातम् ।

भ्रमता धरणीपीठे तस्य फल जन्मनो व्यर्थम् ॥

तथा च --

विद्यां वित्तं शिल्पं तावन्नाप्नोति मानवः सम्यक् ।

यावद् व्रजति न भूमौ देशद्देशान्तरं हृष्टः ॥

अथ तस्य तद्वचनमाकर्ण्य प्रहृष्टमनास्तेनैव सह गुरुजनानुज्ञातः शुभेऽनि देशान्तरं प्रस्थितः । तत्र च धर्मबुद्धिप्रभावेण भ्रमता पापबुद्धिना प्रभूततरं वित्तमासादिम् । ततश्च द्वावपि तौ प्रभूतोपार्जितद्रव्यौ प्रहृष्टौ स्वगृहं प्रत्यौत्सुक्येन निवृत्तौ । उक्तञ्च --

प्राप्तवाद्यार्थशिल्पानां देशान्तरनिवासिनाम् ।

क्रोशमात्रोऽपि भूभागः शतयोजनवद्भवेत् ॥

अथ स्वस्थानवर्तिना पापबुद्धिना धर्मबुद्धिरभिहितः -- "भद्र ! न सर्वमेतद्धनं गृहं प्रति नेतुं युज्यते , यतः कुटुम्बिनो बान्धवाश्च प्रार्थयिष्यन्ते । तदत्रैव वनगहने क्वापि भूमौ निक्षिप्य किञ्चिन्मात्रमादाय गृहं प्रविशावः । भूयोऽपि प्रयोजने सञ्जाते तन्मात्रं समेत्यास्मात्स्थानान्नेष्यावः । उक्तञ्च --

न वित्तं दर्शयेत्प्राज्ञः कस्यचित्स्वल्पमप्यहो! ।

मुनेरपि यतस्तस्य दर्शनाञ्चलते मनः ॥

तथा च --

यथामिषं जले मत्स्यैर्भक्ष्यते श्वापदैर्भुवि ।

आकाशे पक्षिभिश्चैव तथा सर्वत्र वित्तवान् ॥

तदाकर्ण्य धर्मबुद्धिराह -- "भद्र ! एवं क्रियताम् ।"

तथानुषठिते द्वावपि तौ स्वगृहं गत्वा सुखेन संस्थितवन्तौ । अथान्यस्मिन्नहनि पापबुद्धिर्निशीथेऽटव्यां गत्वा तत्सर्वं वित्तं समादाय गर्त्तं पूरयित्वा स्वभवनं जगाम । अथाऽन्येद्युर्धर्मबुद्धिं समभ्येत्य प्रोवाच -- " सखे ! बहुकुटुम्वा वयं वित्ताभावात्सीदामः । तद्गत्वा तत्र स्थाने किञ्चिन्मात्रं धनमानयावः ।"

सोऽब्रवीत् -- "भद्र ! एवं क्रियताम् ।"

अथ द्वावपि गत्वा तत्स्थानं यावत्खनतस्तावद्रिक्तं भाण्डं दृष्टवन्तौ । अत्रान्तरे पापबुद्धिः शिरस्ताडयन् प्रोवाच -- "भो धर्मबुद्धे ! त्वया हृतमेतद्वनं नान्येन, यतो भूयोऽपि गर्त्तापूरणं कृतम् । तत्प्रयच्छ मे तस्याधर्म् । अथवाहं राजकुले निवेदिष्यामि । स आह -- " भो दुरात्मन् ! मैवं वद, धर्मबुद्धिः खल्वहम् । नैतच्चौरकर्म करोमि । उक्तञ्च --

मातृवत्परदाराणि परद्रव्याणि लोष्टवत् ।

आत्मवत्सर्वभूतानि वीक्ष्यन्ते धर्मबुद्धयः ॥

एवं द्वावपि तौ विवदमानौ धर्माधिकरणं गतौ प्रोचतुश्च परस्परं दूषयनतौ ।

अथ धर्माधिकरणाधिष्ठितपुरुषौर्दिव्यार्थे यावन्नियोजितौ, तावत्पापबुद्धिराह -- "अहो ! न सम्यग्दृष्टाऽयं न्यायः । उक्तञ्च --

विवादेऽन्विष्यते पत्रं तदभावेऽपि साक्षिणः ।

शाक्ष्यभावात्ततो दिव्यं प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ॥

तदये विषये मम वृक्षदेवताः साक्षीभूतांस्तिष्ठन्ति । ता अप्यावयोरेकतरं चौरं साधुं वा कथयिष्यन्ति । अथ तैः सर्वैरभिहितम् -- " भोः ! युक्तमुक्त भवता । उक्तञ्च --

अन्त्यजोऽपि यदा साक्षी विवादे सम्प्रजायते ।

न तत्र विद्यते दिव्यं किं पुनर्यत्र देवता ॥

तदस्माकमप्यत्र विषये महत्कौतूहलं वर्तते । प्रत्यूषसमये युवाभ्यामप्यस्माभिः सह तत्र वनोद्देशे गन्तव्यम् " इति ।

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे पापबुद्धि स्वगृहं गत्वा स्वजनकमुवाच -- " तात ! प्रभूतोऽयं मयार्थो धर्मबुद्धेश्चोरितः । स च त्व वचनेन परिणतिं गच्छति, अन्यथास्माकं प्राणैः सह यास्यति ।"

स आह -- "वत्स ! द्रुतं वद , येन प्रोच्य तद् द्रव्यं स्थिरतां नयामि ।"

पापबुद्धिराह -- "तात ! अस्ति तत्प्रदेशे महाशमी ।तस्यां कोटरमस्ति । तत्र त्वं साम्प्रतमेव प्रविश । ततः प्रभाते यदाहं सत्यश्रावणं करोमि, तदा त्वया वाच्यं यद् धर्मबुद्वश्चौरः " इति ।

तथानुष्ठिते प्रत्यूषे स्नात्वा पापबुद्धिः धर्मबुद्धिपुरःसरो धर्माधिकरणिकैः सह तां शमीमभ्येत्य तारस्वरेण प्रोवाच -- "आदित्यचन्द्रावनिलोऽनलश्च , द्यौर्भूमिरापो हृदयं यमश्च । अहश्च रात्रिश्च उभे च सन्ध्ये , धर्मश्च जानाति नरस्य वृत्तम् । भगवति वनदेवते ! आवयोर्मध्ये यश्चौरस्तं कथय " ।

अथ पापबुद्धिपिता शमीकोटरस्थः प्रोवाच -- "भोः श्रृणुत, श्रृणुत धर्मबुद्धिना हृतमेतद् धनम् । "

तदाकर्ण्य सर्वे ते राजपुरुषा विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचना यावद्धर्मबुद्धेर्वित्तहरणोचितं निग्रह शास्त्रदृष्ट्यावलोकयन्ति तावद्धर्मबुद्धिना तच्छमीकोटरं वह्निभोज्यद्रव्यैः परिवेष्ठ्य वह्निना सन्दीपितम् । अथ ज्वलति तस्मिञ्शमीकोटरेऽर्धदग्धशरीरः स्फुटितेक्षणः करुणं परिदेवयन् पापबुद्धिपिता निश्चक्राम । ततश्च तैः सर्वैः पृष्टः -- " भोः ! किमिदम् ?" इत्युक्ते स पापबुद्धिविचेष्टितं सर्वमिदमिति निवेदयित्वोपरतः । अथ ते राजपुरुषाः पापबुद्धिं शमीशाखायां प्रतिलम्बय, धर्मबुद्धिं प्रशस्येदमूचुः --

अहो, साध्विदमुच्यते -- उपायं चिन्तयेत्प्राज्ञस्तथापायं च चिन्तयेत् ।

Dharmabuddhi and Kubuddhi were both known to me. Of them (Kubuddhi) killed his father by suffocating him in smoke.

In a town lived two friends by the names of Dharmabuddhi and Paapbuddhi. Once Paapbuddhi thought that since he himself was quite stupid and poor, if he could go with Dharmabuddhi to foreign lands, with his help make some money, and while returning seize Dharmabuddhi's earnings as well, then life would become very good.

The next day, Paapbuddhi went to Dharmabuddhi and said , "Friend! In your old age which acts of yours will you recall? Not been to foreign lands and seen new things, what stories will you narrate to your children? It is also said - that if on this earth one is not able to go to foreign lands, know new languages and cultures then the birth is futile.

And also, acquisition of knowledge,wealth, sculptures etc., is not possible for a person unless he happily tours from place to place."

On hearing Paapuddhi say thus, Dharmabuddhi embarked happily with him on the sojourn after the advice of teachers and after calculating the astrologically right time. Owing to Dharmabuddhi's persona, Paapbuddhi also acquired a lot of wealth. After collecting all their earnings, they were returning to their native place very happily.

It is said that -- for a person who has acquired knowledge, wealth and art and residing in a foreign place even one 'kosa' of land is like a hundred 'yojanas.'

When they were nearing their village, Paapbuddhi told Dharmabuddhi thus, "Dear, taking our entire wealth to the village may not be correct, because our kith and kin would ask for it. Hence, we should bury our wealth underground in the deep forest and carry only a small portion home. As and when we require it, we will come and dig up the wealth and take it to the village. It is said -- that a wisemen should not flaunt even small amount of wealth, because, on seeing wealth the minds of even great sages stumble.

In addition,

Flesh and rich person meet people who want to devour them. Just like fish in water, lions and other wild animals on land, and birds in the sky are forever ready to eat flesh, there are people forever ready to devour a rich man.

On hearing the above suggestion of Papbuddhi, Dharmabuddhi said "Friend! alright."

They then hid their wealth underground, and left for their respective homes and started living happily. One night, Paapbuddhi dug up the hidden wealth in the forest, refilled the hole with mud and brought home the entire wealth. A few days later, he went to Dharmabuddhi and said, "Friend, my family is very large. We are facing shortage of money. Let us go and bring home our wealth from the forest. Dharmabuddhi said, "Alright. let us do that."

Thence both of them reached the spot and dug up the place but it was empty. On seeing it, Paapbuddhi beat his head and said, "O! Dharmabuddhi, you have stolen the wealth. No other person could have done that. You have even refilled ths spot with fresh mud. Hence you better give me half of what you have taken from here or I shall complain to the king.

Dharmabuddhi said, "Wicked man! Do not say thus. My name is Dharmabuddhi and I am not a thief. It is said that," --

Believers in dharma look upon others' women as mother, others' wealth as rubble, and look to all living beings as their own.

Arguing thus, both reached the court, claiming and counter-claiming that the other was a thief. In order to reach the truth, the judges decided to invoke the "Divine Justice". Immediately, Paapbuddhi said, "This is not justice. It is said that --

Wisemen have said that to settle disputes, tangible evidence is examined.

In absence of tangible evidence, witnesses are examined and only in the absence of witness does the court resort to Divine Justice.

In this matter, the Tree Gods are my witnesses. Only they know who is thief and who is honest.".

The judges said "Agreed. Also said is -

In such cases even if a witness from low caste is available then Divine Justice is not required. In this case we even have Gods as witness.

"We are also very curious about this matter. Tomorrow morning we shall, alongwith you, go to the forest and ask the Gods."

On returning from the court, Paapbuddhi told his father, "Father, I have stolen the wealth that belonged to Dharmabuddhi. If you just say something, then it can remain with us, or else we may lose our wealth and also our lives."

The father said, "Son, tell me quickly what I am to say so that the wealth remains with us forever."

As per Paapbuddhi's plan, the father sat inside the hollow of the shami tree. In the morning after his bath, Paapbuddhi along with Dharmabuddhi and the judges, reached the spot in the forest. Under the shami tree Paapbuddhi loudly called out, -- "He knows the sun, moon, wind, fire, space, earth, water, heart, death, day, night and bears witness to the two twilights and justice, and all actions of men. O Tree-God, truthfully tell, who, between us is a thief."

On hearing Paapbuddhi, his father called out from the hollow of the tree, "Listen, listen, Dharmabuddhi has stolen the wealth.".

Hearing this, all the judges were stupefied and looked at Dharmabuddhi and were parleying among themselves to give him appropriate punishment. Meanwhile, Dharmabuddhi collected inflammable material and pushed it inside the hollow of the tree and lit it. When the hollow of the tree started burning, Paapbuddhi's father screamed in great agony and came out from there with half burnt body and burnt eyes. The judges asked, "How have you reached this stage? Who are you?".

On being asked, he narrated the details and then died.

The judges then hanged Paapbuddhi to the same shami tree and expressed their appreciation of Dharmabuddhi thus, "Someone has rightly said, --

A clever person should plan for success

as well as failure of a project."