Table of Contents
The Vulture, The Cat and The Birds
A recap:
A deer had been spotted by a crafty jackal, Kshudrabuddhi. The jackal had just one objective, flatter the deer, gain its confidence and then eat it. It got friendly with the deer. When the deer introduced the jackal to his friend, a crow Subuddhi, the crow warned the deer against trusting strangers, and started telling this story.
The story starts in the hills, especially on a hill that was shaped like a vulture. Not only did the hill look like a vulture, it also had jagged edges that could be reached only by vultures. This was the reason this hill had gotten the name Gridhrakuta or Vulture’s peak. This hill was close to the banks of the river Ganga. As the land was fertile, there was a lot of vegetation there. On this hill were many fig trees. There was one old fig tree, which had been green and lush once, and what was left of it now, was just a hollow. In that hollow lived an old bird – a blind vulture called Jaradgava. Time had taken its toll on Jaradgava, and he had lost both his eyes and also his talons. For this reason, he was not in a position to hunt. There were many trees nearby on which lived other birds. Jaradgava was friendly with those birds. He had seen them born and become big, in front of his own eyes. Due to his age and also because the other birds liked and respected him, they gave him a share of their food. Thanks to these birds, he was still alive.
One day a cat arrived there. He had long ears and was called Dirghakarna. It was hungry and was looking around for food. Somehow, he had ended up near the hill and came close to the trees where the birds lived. When the cat arrived there, most of the birds had left their nests in search of food. The small nestlings who could not fly yet were there. Seeing Dirghakarna, the nestlings sensed danger and started screeching. Jaradgava heard this and came out of the hollow. As soon as Dirghakarna saw the vulture, he thought he was as good as dead. The vulture spoke in a loud voice:
Who are you and why have you come here?
Not sure what to do, the cat decided to leave, what would happen, to fate. He thought:
One should be afraid of danger only as long as it has not arrived; but seeing danger close at hand, a person should act appropriately. Now, I cannot run away from him; therefore, let whatever is destined to happen, happen. I shall go near him after first creating a sense of confidence in him
He went close to the vulture and said:
O Great One, I have come to take your blessings.
The vulture was puzzled. Who was this? He asked again:
What kind of an animal are you?
The cat said:
I am a cat.
The vulture hearing this, said:
There is no place for a cat here. Leave this place, else I will kill you.
The cat, knowing that it had to be fearless, then said:
I stand prepared to surrender my life and face death if you feel so, but I request you to listen to me first.
The vulture was not very pleased but he still said:
Where have you come from? And why have you come here?
The cat said:
I am Dirghakarna. I live on the banks of river Ganges. I take daily dips in the river and have given up eating any kind of flesh. I perform the Chandrayana penance to purify both my mind and body. I lead a life of celibacy like brahmacharis do. I have met the other birds who come to drink water or take a bath in the river. They praise you a lot. They say you lead an ethical life and are completely reliable. My visit here is a quest for knowledge. I appeal to your years of experience and learning. Would you kill someone who comes in peace? There are the laws for householders. I think they say - One must not lock the door against anyone, regardless of whether the guests are an ally or an enemy. A tree provides shade to the very person who is chopping it down. A host should be equally selfless. If a host is poor and lacks resources/food, the value of their hospitality is transferred to their speech. These are the four basic requirements of hospitality that costs nothing or very little: a polite welcome, a place to sit/sleep, warmth, and hydration. These "simple gifts" are the markers of a righteous home. Their presence proves the host is a "good person." Hospitality must be impartial, not favouring the rich, important, young or old. Hospitality should cover everyone. Treating a guest well is a reflection of the host's own character. The guest is to be treated as superior to everyone else. If the host fails, they deserve a spiritual scolding and be told - Show compassion to those who seek your mercy: for who are you to hold tightly to your earthly treasures and hoard your supplies, when even the moon sheds its light with total and perfect equality upon both the sick and the powerful. Also, if a door is closed rudely and a person asking for help is rejected, the rejected guest takes away the host's good karma and leaves behind their bad karma. The husband is the head of the home, and Brahmins are the spiritual masters of men. Agni is the master of the brahmin, but the guest occupies a rank above all of them.
The vulture heard the philosophy that the cat had just spoken. He was aware of the nature of cats. So, in reply, he said:
I know the "nature" of a cat is to eat meat, and I know my duty towards the fledglings.
The cat acted as if he was shocked. He bent down and spread his front paws, in front of the vulture. He then took the name of Krishna and said:
I swear by the very name of Krishna. Let the great god be witness. I have overcome passion. I have given up meat. I perform the Chandrayana penance. I have read the scriptures. From there, I have understood one thing: while different texts may disagree on small points, they are all in agreement on the importance of non-violence. They say, the person, whose mind is pure and whose deeds are entirely free from any form of wickedness, even though they are powerful, they choose to endure hardship or practice restraint; that person will go to heaven.
The vulture, hearing these words of the cat, did not say anything. The cat realized its work was done. He had managed to gain the vulture’s confidence. Once the cat realized that the vulture was blind, he moved in with the vulture, inside the hollow tree. Every day, when the birds had left their nests and had gone in search of food, the cat caught hold of some baby birds, and brought them inside the hollow. There he quietly ate them, while ensuring that the vulture was not aware of this. While this was happening, the parents of the birds became distressed. Where were their babies disappearing? They decided to search the area. As soon as the cat heard this, he left the place permanently. The birds began searching every corner and were shocked when they found the "bones” of the dead nestlings inside the hollow of the tree, where the vulture lived. They assumed the vulture was the killer and had him killed.
Subuddhi ended the story and said:
This is the moral of my story. This is why I said earlier, do not trust people whose true character and history are not verified.
Kshudrabuddhi did not like the way Subuddhi was pointing a finger at him. Even then, trying to please Subuddhi, he said:
I know what you are trying to say, but I want to raise a point. You seem to be a wise person and I have a question for you. There must have been a day when you met the deer for the first time. You were from different families. A deer was unknown to a crow and a crow was unknown to a deer. Even then, you became friends. Trust is built over time, not just initial status. I know I am not very clever. That is why they call me Kshudrabuddhi. But there is a saying - in a place where there are no learned people, even a person with mediocre intelligence is treated like a king. I might be small, but I am better than nothing. Even a castor plant is treated like a tree in a desert as it can provide some shade. The deer is my friend. I would like it, if you too became my friend.
The deer was a peace-loving person. He sensed that this conversation could go elsewhere. He interrupted the two and said:
There is a bit too much talking going on here. There is no point in arguing and debating. Let us stay together, happy. Names or labels don't matter; it is a person’s behaviour that defines his or her relationship. An enemy becomes a friend, and a friend becomes an enemy, solely based on the way they conduct themselves toward us.
Subuddhi gave in and said:
As you wish.
So, the deer, the crow and the jackal started living together. They established a routine. They foraged by day and were back safely together when the sun set. The jackal was getting impatient. He had not come there to make friends. He had a motive – the deer. He wanted to eat the deer. So, one day, when the crow had flow off in search of food Kshudrabuddhi called the deer and said to him:
My dear friend, there is something I want to tell you. When I was roaming around in the forest, I saw a secluded corner. Some men have cultivated a small patch of land and have sowed wheat there. You need to come and see that. The wheat is not yet ripe. I think you will enjoy the sweet taste of wheat. If you want that, why wait? Come, we’ll go now.
The deer was tempted. He accompanied the jackal and saw it. There was a field. This was very close to the human village and some people had cleared a part of the forest and had planted wheat there. As soon as he saw the field, the deer seeing no one was watching him, went and started eating the wheat. It was a huge field and the deer started going there every day with the jackal. It became his habit. The people who had planted the wheat wondered who was eating their crops. So, they set up a trap. They built a foot snare. These were loops made of sinew anchored to a heavy log. When the animal who was stealing their crop, stepped into the loop, it would tighten around the leg. The next day, the deer came to eat the wheat and found itself caught in the snare. It began to struggle. The more it struggled, the tighter the snare became. Not knowing what to do, he called out to Kshudrabuddhi and said:
Friend, I am firmly stuck in this trap. Help me. You are my friend and if you do not help me, I’ll end up dying here.
The Jackal who was lurking nearby was waiting for this exact moment. He wasn’t worried that the deer was caught; on the contrary he was delighted. He thought:
The people will come running and find the deer. They will catch and then kill him. They will eat the flesh, and discard the bones, skin, fat and entrails. Then I will have a great meal.
The deer now knowing about the jackal’s thoughts said:
Friend, come fast. The snare is made from sinew. You have sharp teeth. Gnaw into them and free me. You are my true friend. You have not left me alone, even though you are seeing that I am in trouble. Courage is tested in war, just as friendship is tested in crisis. Promises are easy to make, but only actions prove them. Someone who helps in dire times is like actual family. It’s like a loyal wife, who stays with the husband irrespective of the husband’s fortune. The concepts of "friend" and "family" have a much heavier significance than what a casual person might think. Blood relations or casual acquaintances don't always act with love. A true companion is with you in every situation—whether eating together or fighting together, regardless of wealth. He who stands up in the royal court to defend you, and follows you even to the funeral pyre to mourn—he alone is the true friend and the true relative.
The jackal went close to the snare and looked at it. He was not there to cut it or gnaw on it. No, he was there to see if the bonds had started to fray. He was relieved; the snare was tight. He then said to the deer:
My friend, I really want to help you but I am not sure how to. I keep fasts and today is a day of fast for me. This snare is made from sinew and I will not touch anything which is made from animal tissue today. I will come back tomorrow, and help you. Please forgive me.
Saying this, the jackal went and hid behind some trees.
It had been a long time since the jackal and deer had left. The sun was about to set. Subuddhi upon returning home, saw the two had not returned. He began to wonder what had happened to the deer. Hope he had not come to any harm. He flew around and tried to see if he could spot the deer, before it got dark. Flying close to the field, he was shocked to see the deer stuck in the trap. The crow flew down, sat close to the deer and asked him how this had happened. The deer, having heard about the jackal’s fast day, had realized the true motive of Kshudrabuddhi. He then said to Subuddhi:
All this happened because I disregarded a true friend’s advice.
The crow understood and asked:
Where is that crook? The jackal Kshudrabuddhi?
The deer, with tears in his eyes, said:
I am sure he is somewhere close. He is waiting for me to be killed, so he can enjoy my flesh.
Subuddhi said:
See, I had warned you about him. Omens are everywhere—in the sky, in the flickering of a lamp, and in the advice of friends. But a person notices these warnings after the trouble has already started. Alas, this smooth-talking crook. What a wicked deed this treacherous being has done. You should have noticed it. A flatterer speaks ill of you or plots against you when you aren't looking, but acts incredibly gentle in front of you. A person who looks good on the outside but is evil inside is like a pot of poison with a thin layer of milk on top to deceive the thirsty. Don't trust them regardless of the scale of their promises. The size of the promise doesn't change the nature of the liar. Bad company is like charcoal. If it is hot; it burns you. If it is cold, it still makes your hands dirty. In either state, it brings harm.
The crow sat with the deer, all though the night, talking to him. Soon they could make out the sun was about to rise. The crow, who looked around, saw some people come towards them. He realized it was the farmer. As they came closer, the crow saw they were carrying sticks in their hand. He knew they had to act very fast. He went to the deer and said:
Do exactly what I tell you to do, if you want to save yourself. Take a deep breath and puff up your belly. Then lie down on the ground. I will pretend to pluck your eyes out. As soon as I start cawing, make a run for your life.
The deer did exactly that. He took a deep breath and lay on the ground, stretching out his legs. Subuddhi sat on his face, pretending to pluck his eyes, while keeping a look out for the farmers. One farmer came there and saw the deer from a distance. Thinking it to be dead, he began gathering the nets and loosened the snare. As soon as he did, Subuddhi began cawing and flew up in the sky. Taking this as the cue, the deer jumped up and ran as fast as he could. The farmers, surprised, threw their sticks in the direction in which the deer had run. Kshudrabuddhi hearing the commotion came to see what was happening. The sticks struck him and he fell down on the ground, dead.
It is said, whether it takes three years or three days, wicked people are eventually destroyed, and the righteous find their freedom.
With this, the mouse king Hiranyaka, while still inside his palace, ended his story and said:
Now you can see the truth for yourself. In the natural order, one animal is the food and the other is the predator. How much sweet talk happens, a predator cannot truly befriend its natural prey because, eventually, hunger or instinct will override the bond.
Analysis
- External appearances and sweet speech are often used as masks to deceive people.
- Strangers should not be easily trusted.
Characters and Their Representations
Each character serves as a psychological or social archetype:
Character |
Meaning of Name |
Representation |
In Our Daily Life |
Jaradgava (Vulture) |
"Old Bull" |
The aging authority or the trusting elder. |
Grandparents or retired mentors who are vulnerable to scams. |
Dirghakarna (Cat) |
"Long Ears" |
The hypocrite or a cat-ascetic. |
Dishonest people using religion for gain. |
Kshudrabuddhi (Jackal) |
"Small/Mean Intellect" |
The predator who uses flattery. |
Fake friends who isolate you from your well-wishers. |
Subuddhi (Crow) |
"Good/Right Intellect" |
The voice of reason and caution. |
The sceptical friend or the "conscience" we often ignore. |
The Deer |
(Unnamed/The Innocent) |
The naive seeker of pleasure. |
Anyone blinded by immediate gain or "get-rich-quick" schemes. |
Lessons for the Modern Reader
- Never allow a stranger into your "inner circle" based on their words alone.
- Just because someone quotes scriptures or appears "religious" doesn't mean they are ethical.
- Jaradgava’s failure to check the hollow tree for bones was a lapse in duty that led to his death.
- The crow’s plan to save the deer proves that intelligence is superior to physical strength.
Correlations with Scriptures
- Mahabharata: In the Udyoga Parva, there is a mention of a cat that performed penance on the banks of the Ganga to deceive mice.
- In the Panchatantra, there is a tale of a Partridge and a Hare who go to a "holy cat" to settle a dispute. The cat speaks of non-violence until they come close, then eats them both.
Do not be the "blind vulture" in your life. While the world encourages us to be open-minded, we must remain "closed-hearted" to those who use flattery to bypass our logic. Select your company with the same care you would use to select a medicine—because company, like medicine, can either heal or poison.
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