With a treacherous friend around, one need not have any weapon for suicide

With a treacherous friend around, one need not have any weapon for suicide

another lesson from Panchatantram of Vishnu Sharma.

A king had a cozy, soft bed of which he was very proud. It was so comfortable that even the monarch would have a sound sleep in spite of all his royal worries. Usually his personal servants were very careful in maintaining it spotlessly clean.. 

But servants are, after all, servants, and in time a lice could cling on to the sheet .. may be the birth of the lice occurred in the hair of the king. Anyway it was having a swell time there.. the Mandavisarpini, as the lady lice was named.

Her timings were immaculate. Like a yakshi, she would know when the king was in deep sleep, and then , and then alone, she would descend upon the royal body and with her very soft straw would drink just a little blood.. extremely delicious was the blood because the king ate very rich food.. which would keep her hale and healthy for the day.. She was thus living comfortably for ever . 

One day, as if sent by fate to put an end to her dream-life, a bedbug, with whom she was already acquainted paid a visit to the royal bed. The lice was terrified at the hungry looks and emaciated body of Agnimukha, the bug. She knew that the fellow knew no propriety and his presence could cause detriment to her also. But just like all glib adventurers, the bug was an adept in wagging his tongue. When the lady lice expressed fear about his presence, he gave a big lecture.

" My dear young lady, do you not know the dharmas? I have come as a guest to your abode. I am a thick friend of yours. I am of the considered opinion that you should have invited me long ago to this place. Is it not the duty of a good friend to share his fortune with his bosom friends?. Anyway, I have come to you. Now it is your turn to follow the duties of a sincere and dutiful host."

The lady lice had little choice now. She knew the terrible bug will not leave. He had had the taste of many species of nasty blood samples and of late he was starving. He had come coveting the sweet blood of the king and he would not leave without having his share of it. So, though reluctantly, the lice allowed the bug to stay on.

"You please hide yourself in a remote crevice of the wooden cot and you should come out only when the king is in deep sleep.. Then again you should have your dinner in a way befitting a gentleman. You should not use your forks and knives to create painful gashes." 

The bug agreed heartily.

The night came, the Royal occupant of the bed also arrived ready for his ten winks. The aroma of a human body did a million things to the gastronomically acute instincts of the bug.. He could not wait long enough to ensure that the king was asleep. He came out, descended on the body of the king who was fully awake and pressed his sharp and extended tooth of a straw on the soft body of the king and started to draw and drink blood. The king felt the painful prick and stirred up creating a ruckus. The servants were called to search the bed. The bug was fast on his feet and hid safely in a remote crevice of the wooden bed. No amount of search could betray him.

Meanwhile, not exactly knowing what all was happening Mandavisarpini, the lice was hiding in the fold of a bedsheet and she was discovered by the servants without much ado.. She was simply crushed between the fingernails of a servant and her dream run of a life met an untimely end.

At the time of dying, she must have cursed herself for having cultivated the friendship of such a garrulous idiot of a bug.

With a treacherous friend around, one need not have any weapon for suicide.