This is time for action, and not for contemplation

Another one from Vishnusharma's Panchatantam.

In a forest there lived a lion called  Karaalakesara. A crafty fox named Dhusaraka was keeping company with him as a minister.

Once the elderly lion had an encounter  with an elephant and had his whole skeletal frame dislocated through a thorough thrashing by the jumbo.   From then he was unable to move properly and did not have the efficiency to catch any prey.  The Hon'ble minister fox was complaining that he was constantly being prevented from executing  his official duties properly on account of lack of food and was on the verge of giving a notice of voluntary retirement.   However the fox was conscious that if he left the job he would be in a more indigent condition.  So he had a frank talk with the boss.  The boss said, " You may  please bring some foolish animal to my presence and I can oblige you with the act of killing it and we can share the results".

Unable to find any gullible creature in the forest, the fox strayed into a village.  There he found Lambakarna, a middle-aged donkey,  standing on the banks a pond nibbling at some grass. 

The fox approached him and started conversation. " Hi, uncle, how are you.. Indeed you look very thin. What  happened?

"Yes, my beloved nephew," came the reply, " my boss the washerman simply makes me toil all the day, but he does not give me any fodder, not even a handful of good grass.  At the end of the day I have to keep myself alive by rubbing my nose and mouth on tiny growths of grass  mixed with dirt, to  keep my body and soul together. But that keeps me thin" 

The Fox said, " Uncle, why should you suffer like this? Please come with me.  I can show you acres of land full of grass growing tall.  A fine river is also flowing nearby.  We can go there and I shall give you company discussing stories and epics and you can enjoy life to the full." 

The uncle was not convinced, "Will not the wild beasts kill me if I leave the village and stray into the forest?"

Pat came the reassuring reply of the dotting nephew, " Do not you ever fear about that.  I have captured the land from all poachers and it is in my absolute control.  No one can enter there without my  permission.  Moreover,  I have already  given asylum to three orphan donkey maidens who faced  the same situation like you earlier. They were just thin kids when they came to me.  But now they have grown into buxom  damsels of sweet age.  In  fact, I have come to the village only in search of a suitable mate for them. They were complaining to me yesterday that I  did not care for them enough to find them suitable male company  and , I have  set out for that purpose only at their eager prodding. And fate has led me to one of the most charismatic donkeys like you. So dear uncle, come with me and enjoy".

The donkey was overjoyed. " Sonny, show me the way.  Those lasses must be really desolate without a suitor like me"

In time the donkey was led to the presence of the lion. The lion was in pain due to the dislocated skeleton, but rose up immediately.  The donkey started to flee seeing the lion. The lion managed to hit the donkey on flight with its paw .  But the hit was not in place and the donkey escaped.

The minister was angry with the boss.  " What has happened to you boss.  Even a donkey could escape your paws. How ever could you have ventured to fight with an elephant?  Now I understand exactly what your prowess is."

The lion grinned sheepishly, " Look Mr Minister, I was just preparing myself to spring on the back of the donkey, but he was slightly swifter. When  my hit finds its aim even an elephant would be shatter.. The slip should be treated as a one-time affair."

"I believe it," said the fox, " I shall bring back the fellow once again to you, do not make any mistake then." 

The fox returned to the village to find the donkey in his earlier place doing ditto.  In mock anger, the fox complained.

" Why did you run away , uncle? " 

The uncle replied, I saw a paw with cruel and sharp nails ready to hit me, and ran away. Just tell me what the beast was?"

The donkey replied, " Oh Uncle, why are you so paranoid? Or have you lost the power of eyesight due to cataract?  I had taken you to the border of the land which I had told you about earlier, and one of the impatient and love-starved donkey damsels was just advancing towards you in utter passion ready to embrace you. What a chance did you miss!. She has seen you and she is head over in love with you, a slim youngster, and she is in utter desolation.  She refuses to take food and she has sent me to you with a request for your return to her.  She has cautioned me and you also through me that she would give up her life before the sun set, if she could not have the company of her beloved lover.  So if you do not come to her immediately and give her the satisfaction of your amorous company,  you will incur the sin of killing a damsel in distress.  The God of love also will curse you.  An that curse will make you instead of an attractive donkey, a moron with ochre robes or no dress, with matted hair on tonsured head.  So do not make any delay.  This is time for action, and not for contemplation".

The gullible uncle donkey fell to the gift of gab of the cunning fox and retraced the path to the lion who was awaiting the beast of burden eagerly. 

This time  the lion made no mistake and  the boss and the minster had a sumptuous dinner.

Prodded by fate, man sometimes performs foolish acts. One can understand when  he acts like that once.  But knowingly and with assurance, if he repeats the folly, who can save him?

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life  is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|