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.

© "Bhavan’s Journal" (July 31, 2003) published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kulapati KM Munshi Marg, Chowpatty, Mumbai 400 007. Website: www.bhavans.info. Reprinted with permission.

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