Cover Story

Four Wise Birds - Subash Majumdar

Drona was the youngest son of Mandapala, a very learned and righteous brahmana. Once while undertaking austerities in the Himalayas, he encountered Tarkshi, a forest bird who in reality was apsara Vapu but who had been born as a bird because of the curse of Durvasa rishi. Drona became very fond of Tarkshi who being an apsara could assume any form she desired. So she turned herself into a beautiful maiden and Drona, with the permission of his parents, then married her. They had a happy life together and in due course Tarkshi became pregnant.

At this time the great Mahabharata war was being waged at Kurukshetra. Tarkshi while flying over it in the form of a bird developed a desire to see the battle. So she perched on a chariot of king Bhagadatta who was engaged in a deadly battle with Arjuna. To see more clearly Tarkshi went a little out of the chariot. But just at that instance a deadly arrow shot by Arjuna pierced her body and killed her on the spot.

In accordance with rishi Durvasa’s curse she then returned to Swarga as apsara Vapu. Before falling on the ground, however, four eggs fell out of her body and as they happened to fall on the soft flesh of a dead animal they did not suffer any damage.

A little later a bell becoming loose from a battle elephant, happened to fall over the eggs in such a manner that it provided complete protection. The four eggs thus remained unharmed throughout the carnage of men and beasts in the great Mahabharata war.

A few days after the end of war when Shamika muni happened to pass by that spot, in the company of his pupils, he heard chirping sounds coming from underneath a discarded elephant bell. Lifting it up carefully, he found four little birds, which had survived through the vicious war. Attributing this miracle to divine grace, he asked his pupils to take tender care of the baby birds.

In due course the young birds learnt to fly about but they always considered Shamika muni’s ashrama as their home. Whenever lessons on vedas were being taught to the pupils, the birds also sat there and absorbed all the knowledge.

Once the birds became adults, the eldest among them bowed in respect to Shamika muni and thanked him for saving their lives. He then asked politely as to the proper course of action for them. Everyone present there was awe struck with the birds exhibiting such human characteristics.

Shamika muni then asked the birds whether they had assumed this form voluntarily or whether they had been reduced to this as a result of some curse. The birds then related the following:

"We are the sons of Sukrusha muni and we always served our father respectfully, helping him in various religious ceremonies. Once Indra, assuming the form of an old ailing bird, came to our father’s ashrama. Saying that he was suffering from deep pangs of hunger, he requested for some nourishment. Our father at once agreed and asked what food he wanted. The old bird replied that he wanted human flesh.

Having given this word to provide food to the bird, our father then asked us to offer our bodies to satisfy the bird’s appetite.

But we argued that it would be contrary to dharma to offer our lives merely to satisfy a bird’s desire. Further we said that it was a father’s duty to protect his children. At this our father became angry and cursed that we be born in the world of birds. Later he prepared to offer his own body to the bird in order to keep his word. At that moment Indra relinquished his bird form and appearing in his true glory, blessed our father.

Seeing this we fell at our father’s feet and urged him to pardon us. But our father said that his curse, once pronounced, could not be negated. However, he softened it a little by saying that even in our bird form we would acquire knowledge about the reality of one’s self and that we would also remember our previous human birth. This then is our story."

These four were the very same birds to which Markendya rishi had directed Jaimini, disciple of the great Vyasa rishi, to seek clarification about some events related in the Mahabharata.

<< Back