Uttara Kanda, Sarga 61

Meaning

On hearing Śrī Rāma’s speech, the wise Lakṣmaṇa, after hurriedly calling the dog, informed Śrī Rāma about its (the dog’s) arrival, and presented him before Śrī Rāma, Having seen the dog that had come, Śrī Rāma said to him, ‘O dog! Tell me what you have to say, you need not fear at all.’ (1-2)

Meaning

Thereafter the dog whose skull was shattered saw Śrī Rāma seated there. Having seen the king, the dog addressed the following speech: (3)

Meaning

“The king is the creator of all living beings and the king is the leader of men. The king remains awake, when others are asleep. The king protects the subjects. (4)

Meaning

“The king, who is the protector of all, protects Dharma by pursuing right policy. When the king does not protect, the subjects perish soon. (5)

Meaning

“The king is the creator, protector and father of the entire world. The king is the time (sets the trend of the times) and the ‘Yuga’ (a particular age of the world). The king is the whole world. (6)

Meaning

“They call it ‘Dharma’, for it sustains the world. The created beings are sustained by ‘Dharma’. Since it supports the three worlds together with all the movable and immovable things. (7)

Meaning

“He sustains even his enemies, puts them on the right path and delights his subjects by ‘Dharma’. Therefore, he (his rule) is known as ‘Dharma’. (8)

Meaning

“This act of ‘Dhāraṇa’ or sustaining is ‘Dharma’—this is the conclusion. O king Śrī Rāma, this is the highest ‘Dharma’ which yields reward after death. My view is that nothing is unattainable by ‘Dharma’. (9)

Meaning

“Charity, compassion, honouring noble men, straight-forwardness in behaviour, O Rāma! this is the ‘Dharma’ in this life and the life hereafter that accrues from protecting the subjects. (10)

Meaning

“O Rāma, strict observer of vows! You are the authority par-excellence. You are conversant with the ‘Dharma’, which is practised by good people. You are the supreme abode of ‘Dharmas’ (Duties) and an ocean of virtues, as it were. I spoke out of my ignorance. Bowing my head, I pray, You should not get angry on this account.” (11—13)

Meaning

On this Śrī Rāma told the dog: “Tell me fearlessly what I should do for you. Do not delay,” On hearing Rāma’s speech, the dog addressed the follwoing words: ‘The king should acquire territory by ‘Dharma’ and should protect it by ‘Dharma.’ The king comes to be recognized as a refuge and dispels all fear. (14-15)

Meaning

“Having realized this, O Rāma! listen to what you have to do for me. There is a mendicant, named Sarvārthasiddha, who lives in the house of a Brāhmaṇa. Without any cause he struck at me! sinless though I was.” (16)

Meaning

On hearing this, Śrī Rāma sent the gatekeeper, who brought the learned Brāhmaṇa Sarvārthasiddha by name. Thus the eminent Brāhmaṇa, endowed with splendour seeing Śrī Rāma there asked him, ‘O sinless Śrī Rāma! Tell me what do you want me to do for you?’ Thus told by the Brāhmaṇa, Śrī Rāma addressed the following words, ‘O Brāhmaṇa! You hurt the dog. What ill did it do to you, for which you struck it with a stick? Anger is a deadly enemy, anger is a friend-faced enemy. Anger is a highly sharp sword. Anger takes away everything, destroys all virtues. Whichever sacrifices a person performs and whatever in charity he gives, all that he destroys by anger. Therefore, one should give up anger and control like a charioteer, one’s senses, running forth towards their objects like very wicked horses, after turning them away from their objects (17—23)

Meaning

“A man should do good to the people around himself by thought, by action and by speech. He should not hurt anybody. No sin, therefore, will attach to him. The harm, which is wrought by evil thoughts, are not done by a sharp sword or a serpent trampled by foot or an ever wrothful enemy. One who has learnt discipline, even his temperament cannot be changed. Even if someone conceals his evil nature, it is surely betrayed by his action. (24—26)

Meaning

Thus asked by Śrī Rāma, who was unwearied in actions, the Brāhmaṇa Sarvārthasiddha said this in Śrī Rāma’s presence: (27)

Meaning

‘While I was going about for begging food the appropriate time for begging had passed, I was overpowered by anger, so I beat it. The dog, which was standing on the road (blocking my way) was asked by me to move away. Not moving at all, it stood in the middle of the road in an odd manner. (28-29)

Meaning

‘Overtaken by hunger, O Rāma! I beat it angrily. O King of kings! Punish me, a guilty person, O chief of kings! Having been punished by you, I would not be afraid of hell.’ Thereafter Śrī Rāma asked all the members of the assembly, ‘What should be done to him, and what punishment should be meted out to him? For, if proper punishment is given to the guilty, the subjects are protected.’ (30-31)

Meaning

Bhṛgu, Aṅgirā, Kutsa and others, Vasiṣṭha alongwith Kāśyapa, eminent teachers of laws, ministers and interpreters of the Vedas—these and many other scholars were present there. All of them—the masters of scriptures and those who were well-versed in state-affairs told Śrī Rāma that a Brāhmaṇa is not to be awarded capital punishment, it is declared by experts in scriptures. (32—34)

Meaning

Then all the hermits addressed Śrī Rāma in following words, “A King holds sway over everyone. O Śrī Rāma! Specially You, who is the eternal god Viṣṇu, are the ruler of the three worlds.” (35-36)

Meaning

When all of them had addressed thus, the dog said as follows: “If you are pleased with me, O Rāma, and if you are to bestow on me a boon, then listen to me, O Valiant One! You asked me what you should do for me, and promised (to do what I would request you to do). So make him O King! a ‘Kulapati’ as promised by you. Your Majesty! make him ‘Kulapati’ of Kālanjara.” On hearing this Śrī Rāma consecrated him as a Kulapati. (37—39)

Meaning

Thus honoured, the happy Brāhmaṇa went away riding on elephant-back. Then the ministers smilingly with astonishment, said to Śrī Rāma, “He has been given a boon. O resplendent one. This is not a curse.” Thus told by the ministers Śrī Rāma said: “You do not know the truth about the course of actions. The dog knows the reason (and will tell why the Brāhmaṇa has been made Kulapati).” On being asked thus by Śrī Rāma, the dog addressed the following speech: “I, In my previous birth, was the Kulapati of the same place, Kālañjara Maṭha. Partaking of the remains of sacrificial food, O Rāma ! I would be engaged in worshipping gods and Brāhmaṇas and gave to the male and maid-servants their due. I had a love for good things. I would protect the property dedicated to gods. I was modest and well-behaved and was engaged in doing good to all living beings. Even then I have been reduced to this wretched state and the lowest position. O Rāma! therefore such a Brāhmaṇa, who is irasible, who has given up his ‘Dharma’ and who is engaged in harming others, who is hot-tempered, ruthless, harsh, foolish (ignorant) and irreligious will lead to the downfall of fourteen generations. (40—46)

Meaning

“Therefore, one should not in any circumstances become a Kulapati. Only, he should be made to look after gods, cows and the Brāhmaṇas, whom one would wish to condemn to go to hell alongwith sons, cattle and relatives. One who takes away the property of the Brāhmaṇas, gods, women and children and takes back again what has been given away in charity, perishes alongwith one’s all dear ones. O Śrī Rāma! One who takes away the property belonging to the Brāhmaṇas and the gods, soon goes to the fearful hell known as ‘Avīci’ one who takes away even mentally the property belonging to the gods and the Brāhmaṇas, goes down from one hell to another.” On hearing the speech of the dog, the eyes of Śrī Rāma opened widely due to wonder, the dog, too possessed of lustre, went to place from where it had come. It was a high minded soul in its former birth but on being born as a dog it has been spoiled. The illustrious one sought death by abstaining from taking food in Vārāṇasī. (47—52)