काकी-कृष्णसर्प-कथा -- Tale Of The Crow And The Black Snake

 काकी-कृष्णसर्प-कथा -- Tale Of The Crow And The Black Snake

उपायेन हि यत्कुर्यात्तन्न शक्यं पराक्रमैः ।

अस्ति कस्मिंश्चित्प्रदेशे महान् न्यग्रोधपादपः । तत्र वायसदम्पती प्रतिवसतः स्म । अथ तयोः प्रसवकाले वृक्षविवरान्निष्क्रम्य कृष्णसर्पः सदैव तदपत्यानि भक्षयति । ततस्तौ निर्वेदादन्यवृक्षमूलनिवासिनं प्रियसुहृदं शृगालं गत्वोचतुः -- "भद्र! किमेवंविधे सञ्जाते आवयोः कर्तव्यं भवति । एष तावद् दुष्टात्मा कृष्णसर्पो वृक्षविवरान्निर्गत्यावयोर्बालकान् भक्षयति । तत्कथ्यता तद्राक्षार्थं कश्चिदुपायः ।

उक्तञ्च" --

     यस्य क्षेत्रं नदीतीरे, भार्या च परसङ्गता ।

     ससर्पे च गृह वासः, कथं स्यात्तस्य निर्वृतिः ॥

"अस्माकमपि तत्रस्थितानां प्रतिदिनं प्राणसंशयः।"

स आह -- "नात्र विषये स्वल्पःअपि विषादः कार्यः । नूनं स लुब्धो नोपायमन्तरेण वध्यः स्यात् । (यतः--)

     उपायेन जयो यादृग्रिपोस्तादृङ् न हेतिभिः ।

     उपायज्ञः अल्पकायः अपि न शूरैः परिभूयते" ॥

वायस आह -- "भद्र! तत्कथय कथं स दुष्टसर्पो वधमुपैष्यति ?"

श्रगाल आह -- "गच्छतु भवान् कञ्चिन्नगरं राजाधिष्ठानम् । तत्र कस्यापिधनिनो राजामात्यादेः प्रमादिनः कनकसूत्रं हारं वा गृहीत्वा तत्कोटरे प्रक्षिप, येन सर्पस्तद् ग्रहणेन वध्यते"।

   अथ तत्क्षणात् काकः काकी च तदाकर्ण्यात्मेच्छयोत्पतितौ । ततश्च काकी किञ्चिस्तरः प्राप्य यावत्पश्यति, तावत्तन्मध्येोकस्यचिद्गाज्ञोऽन्तःपुरं जलासन्नं न्यस्तकनकसूत्रं मुक्ताहारवस्त्राभरणं जलक्रीडां कुरुति । अथ सा वायसी कनकसूत्रमेकमादाय स्वगृहभिमुखं प्रतस्थे । कञ्चकिनो वर्षवराश्च तन्नीयमानमुपलक्ष्य, गृहीतलगुडाः सत्वरमनुयतुः । काक्यपि सर्पकोटरे तत्कनकसूत्रं प्रक्षिप्य सुदूरमवस्थिता ।

   अथ यावद्नाजपुरुषास्तं वृक्षमारुह्य तत्कोटरमवलोकयन्ति, तावत्कृष्णसर्पः प्रसारितभोगस्तिष्ठति । ततस्तं लगुडप्रहारेण हत्वा कनकसूत्रमादाय यथाभिलषितं स्थानं गताः । वायसदम्पती अपि ततःपरं सुखेन वसतः ।--

"Some tasks can be achieved only through planning which cannot be achieved through valour."

    There used to be a huge bargad tree in which resided a pair of crows. There also lived a black snake which on giving birth to her young ones ate the crows' little children. The crows were sad about this. They went to discuss this with their friend, the jackal, who lived under another tree.

"Dear, what should we do in such a situation? This mean, black snake comes out of his home in the tree and eats away all my children. Tell me if there is a way out? It is also said, that --

    The one whose cultivated land is near a river, whose wife is enamoured of other men, whose house is infested with snake, -- how can that person lead a peaceful life? "

   "Do not worry at all on this subject, and do not feel sad," said the jackal. "This greedy snake cannot be killed without proper planning. Because --

      "In bad times, one should not abandon patience.

      With only proper planning the enemy can be easily

      defeated; with weapons, it is not easy. Even a weak

      person, who has planned properly cannot be conquered

      by the brave.

The crow said, " Now, tell, how will the mean snake be killed?"

   The jackal said, "Go to the city where the king also resides. There, when the king or his minister or some rich person is not very alert, pick up his gold jewellery or necklace and drop it near the tree. Then, in order to recover the jewellery, the snake will be killed as well."

    After hearing this the crow couple immediately flew towards city as they wished. Reaching near a pond the she-crow saw that some King was busy in water-play, leaving necklaces, gold ornaments, pearl necklaces and other garments etc., near the pond. The she-crow picked-up one of those ornaments and started flying towards her cave. The King's men seeing the she-crow taking the ornament, started following her. The she-crow threw the gold necklace in the snake's cave and sat at a far distance from that.

   When the King's men after climbing the tree looked into the cave, the snake was seen seating with it's fang spread. They killed the snake with sticks, recovered the necklace and left for the palace. The crow couple also lived happily from that day.