Table of Contents
When Sanjeevaka's bellow scared Pingalaka
The princes had been listening to Vishnu Sharma tell them stories. Having heard about the stories regarding ‘Making friends’, the princes asked Vishnu Sharma:
Respected teacher. You have told us how one should make friends. In life, we see friendships break. Tell us about that, so we can learn about that too.
Vishnu Sharma said:
Listen to me then, I will tell you about that. In a forest lived a lion, who became friendly with a bull and how that friendship was broken by a crafty jackal.
The princes said:
What is this about?
Vishnu Sharma started telling the story of the lion, the bull and the jackal.
In a city called Suvarnavati lived a wealthy merchant called Vardhaman. Everyday when he spoke to his relatives, they would talk about the amount of wealth they had managed to earn. Vardhaman always felt dejected. He was poorer than his relatives. One day, when he had heard his relatives boast about their wealth, he decided he had to do something. He needed to earn more wealth and prove to his relatives that he too was rich. He thought:
I am sure my relatives get a lot of satisfaction in seeing someone who is poorer than them. This happens as the sense of importance grows. When one is always talking to people who are richer, one feels poorer irrespective of the wealth one has. It’s always good to be very rich. Crimes get excused, the poor people even if they are noble, have no social standing. To become rich, one needs to be active and look for ways to become rich. If one just sits back and talks about destiny, prosperity says good bye to them, and leaves. If I stay in this town, I will not prosper. If one says they are satisfied with whatever wealth they have, their growth stops there. Fortune only favours the ambitious and enterprising. Life without drive and financial power is a curse that brings shame to the family. If that happens, the rivals feel happy. One should acquire wealth that has not yet been obtained. Once wealth is acquired, one must guard it. What is guarded must be multiplied through investment and business. The multiplied wealth must be used for righteous causes, charity, and worthy causes. Wealth can be attained only through financial application and effort. Even then, accumulated wealth will automatically perish, if not increased. Wealth that is not actively multiplied will vanish over time, even if you spend it in the smallest possible amounts. And wealth that is just stored and not used, is useless to have. Every asset—money, strength, knowledge, and life—must have active, functional utility. Static assets are useless. Wealth, knowledge, and merit are not built overnight; they are the result of steady additions. Hoarding wealth or sitting here is equivalent to being a lifeless bellow, that has breath but cannot give life. I will go elsewhere and try my luck.
Having decided to leave, Vardhaman started making plans. He had two bullocks in his house called Nandaka and Sanjeevaka. He got his cart ready, loaded all he needed on the cart. He then yoked his bullocks to the cart and decided to travel to a distant place, like Kashmir. He set off and began thinking:
More so, every day was precious. Negative depletion happens in tiny unnoticeable amounts, and positive growth also happens gradually. Thus, no day should be allowed to go to waste, doing nothing. A strong person does not complain about weights, and a determined merchant thinks no destination is out of reach. Distance means nothing when multiplying wealth is the goal. An educated person can survive and command respect anywhere in the world, and a polite, sweet-tongued person turns every stranger into a friend.
Vardhaman’s journey took him through a treacherous forest called Sudurga. As fate would have it, Sanjeevaka slipped, fell and suffered from a broken foot. Even though he struggled and tried, Sanjeevaka could not get up. It had been daylight and Vardhaman had taken a break and had let the bullocks loose so that they could also graze and take rest. They had a long journey ahead. Seeing this, Vardhaman thought:
One should make an effort to do what they have to but unpredictable incidents can alter plans. I like my bull but I cannot stay here crying. Panic stops progress. I need to focus on my goal.
Vardhaman then abandoned Sanjeevaka there. Adjusting the cart so that Nandaka could manage it himself, he travelled to the nearby town of Charmepura. There he looked around and bought a strong bullock. He yoked that bullock to the cart and along with Nandaka, he resumed his journey towards Kashmir.
Left alone in the jungle, Sanjeevaka was scared. It was an unknown place and he did not want to be killed by some ferocious beast. He first dragged himself a bit till he reached a sturdy tree. Then taking support of the tree, and shifting his weight on his three legs, he managed to stand up.
For it is said, if it is not your time to go, even accidents cannot kill you.
Sanjeevaka had been abandoned in a treacherous jungle and because his time was not up, he managed to survive. Free from the heavy yoke of the cart and surrounded by plants and grass, Sanjeevaka's leg healed perfectly. In a few days he transformed from a load bearing animal into a massive bullock. Along with his physical transformation, his voice also changed. He now bellowed and that sound could be heard far away.
In that jungle lived a lion called Pingalaka. He was the king of that jungle. He was the king not because he had been called and crowned a king. No. He was the king of the jungle because of his strength. So, one day, this king of the jungle, Pingalaka, went to the river to drink some water. He was parched but he had some duties to finish. Done with work, he went to the river bank and bent down to drink some water. He heard a loud noise. It was something strange. He had never heard this before. He was scared. He did what he felt was the best. Without drinking a single drop of water, he went back and stood below a tree, wondering what he should do next. What kind of monster had entered his jungle? Nearby were two jackal brothers, Karataka and Damanaka. They were sons of a former advisor of Pingala. They sensed Pingalaka’s panic.
Damanaka said to his brother Karataka:
Brother, did you see what just happened? The king went to drink water and came back without drinking a single drop. What do you infer from this? Why does he look scared?
Karataka said:
Look brother, we are not employed by Pingalaka anymore. So, what Pingalaka says and how he behaves should not be of any concern of ours. For no fault of ours, the king has ignored us. So why we suddenly start thinking about the king? Why does one seek employment? Money? In exchange for money, a person sells their time, body, and identity, becoming a puppet to the employer's schedule. The hardships and stress that employees put up with just to please their bosses; if a smart person puts in even a tiny fraction of that in self-employment or spiritual discipline, they would attain genuine happiness. A life of total dependency is a living death. Real success is not measured by the size of your salary, but by your level of autonomy. The wealthy employer gives random tasks, and the dependent servant complies instantly because financial survival makes them do that. The job seekers alter their speech, clothing, and opinions to be an efficient tool for the employer. The boss's attention is unstable, yet employees spend hours dissecting a single smile, mistaking a reaction for real security. No matter what personality trait one displays, an erratic management will find a way to interpret it as a performance flaw. The employee ruins their mental health and sacrifices their self-respect, hoping that this sacrifice will buy them comfort during retirement.
Hearing this, Damanaka said:
Yes, I agree service is hard, but the payoff from a satisfied king can make one rich and powerful, faster than anything else. Independence often means mediocre survival. If one wants real power—status and luxuries, then one must play the game of political service.
Karataka said:
Stick to your lane. When you interfere in problems above your pay grade without being asked, you invite disaster. That is what the monkey did when he played with the log.
Damanaka asked:
What was that?
Karataka started telling the story of the monkey and the log.
Analysis
Vardhaman says that one feels poor by comparing oneself with wealthier peers. He says something which is a harsh reality even today - society can overlook the flaws of the rich. The same is not true for the poor.
The passage also says that wealth, strength and knowledge have to be functional and active. If hoarded, they behave like zombies – they move, but have no life.
The conversation between the jackal brothers about employment is interesting. Karataka says selling one’s time for salary makes one like a puppet in the hands of the employer. To that, Damanaka says to achieve influence, status and luxury quickly, one must enter the systemic hierarchy and play the game of service.
When Sanjeevaka breaks his leg, Vardhaman abandons the bull. In commercial enterprises, progress and corporate objectives often override personal attachments. Ironically, being abandoned frees Sanjeevaka from the yoke of the cart. He heals, and grows massive. Being pushed out of a restrictive environment could lead to unexpected personal growth.
Characterisation Analysis
Vardhaman (The Ambitious Enterpriser) – His motivations are driven by social pressure, comparison with peers, and a desire to prove his worth. He views time as a non-renewable asset. He believes that no destination is too distant when the goal is about expansion.
Sanjeevaka (The Dependent Turned Independent) – He was initially motivated by service. Later his motivation becomes survival. He changes from a load bearing animal to a powerful entity. His bellow scares the king. He is like a new competitor who enters an established market.
Pingalaka (The Vulnerable Leader). His motivation is to maintain his position as the king. He is strong but fears the unknown. Despite his status as king, the sound of Sanjeevaka scares him.
Karataka (The Cautious Realist) – His motivation is to preserve personal peace and avoid unnecessary risk. He values self-employment and mental peace over corporate titles. He believes in staying in one's lane and explicitly warns against meddling in problems above one's pay grade, using the upcoming tale of the monkey and the log to justify his stance.
Damanaka (The Ambitious Strategist) – He wants political power, influence, and high status within the court. He is alert, opportunistic, and politically astute. While Karataka sees the king’s fear as none of their business, Damanaka views it as an entry point to reposition himself as an advisor to the king.
Meanings of the names
Vardhaman (The Merchant of Suvarnavati – meaning the golden city) - Literal Meaning: ‘One who is growing,’ ‘prospering,’ or ‘increasing.’ The name fits his obsession. Vardhaman is not content with basic survival; he is consumed by the drive for financial expansion and growth. His monologue revolves around the idea that static assets are useless and that wealth must actively multiply.
Sanjeevaka (The First Bullock) - Literal Meaning: ‘Living,’ ‘enlivening,’ or ‘one who possesses vitality/resuscitation.’ When Sanjeevaka breaks his leg and is abandoned in the treacherous forest of Sudurga (which literally means ‘very difficult to pass’), he should have died. True to his name, he survives, heals and transforms into a massive, powerful bull whose bellow shakes the jungle.
Nandaka (The Second Bullock) - Literal Meaning: ‘The joyful one’. Nandaka is the resilient, compliant worker who keeps moving forward without drama. When his partner falls, he accepts the adjusted yoke and continues the journey.
Pingalaka (The Lion) - Literal Meaning: ‘Tawny-coloured’ or ‘reddish-brown’—the description of a lion's coat. He rules purely by muscle power and natural authority. His authority contrasts with his psychological vulnerability when he panics at an unfamiliar sound.
Damanaka (The Ambitious Jackal) - Literal Meaning: ‘The tamer’. Damanaka is driven by a desire to control. He is the schemer who refuses to accept a demotion. He is the master manipulator who will eventually control the happenings between the king and the bull.
Karataka (The Cautious Jackal) - Literal Meaning: ‘The bystander,’ ‘one who behaves according to a set form,’ Karataka is the risk-averse realist. He values autonomy over power and believes in staying in one's own lane. His name reflects his desire to watch from the sidelines rather than participate in political games.
This story is the first tale from the first book of Panchatantra called Mitra Bheda (Separation of friends).
Parallels in other texts
There are many parallels that can be found in other texts.
Rigveda talks about hymns in praise of generosity, which says that wealth hoarded is wealth wasted. In Mahabharata, in Shanti Parva, Bhishma tells Yudhistira that a person who relies solely on fate will perish. Effort is superior to destiny. The Puranas – Agni Purana and Matsya Purana – say wealth is the pursuit of life as long as it is earned through proper means.
Conclusion
This was the end of the first story of the second book of the Hitopadesha. These characters will interact with each other and they will share stories. Next week, the story of the monkey who should not have messed with a log.
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