magnificent style and in conformity With
the injunctions relating to the sacrifice.
From somewhere unseen, a weasel
suddenly appeared right in the middle of
the assembled guests and priests in the
great pavilion and, after rolling on the
ground laughed a loud human laugh as if
in derision. The priests were alarmed at
this strange and unnatural occurrence and
wondered whether it was some evil spirit
that had come to pollute and disturb the
sacred rites.
The weasel's body was on one side all
shining gold. This remarkable creature
turned round and took a good view of the
assembly of princes and learned
brahmanas that had come from various
countries and gathered in that great
pavilion and began to speak:
"Princes assembled and priests, listen to
me. You no doubt believe that you have
completed your yajna in splendid style.
Once upon a time, a poor brahmana who
lived in Kurukshetra made a gift of a
pound of maize flour. Your great horse
sacrifice and all the gifts made in that
connection are less than that small gift of
the Kurukshetra brahmana. You seem to
think too much of your yajna. Pray, be not
so vain about it."
The gathering was amazed at this strange
and impertinent speech of the golden
weasel. The brahmana priests, who had
performed the sacrificial rites, went up to
the weasel and spoke to it:
"Wherefrom and why have you come to
this yajna, performed by good and worthy
men? Who are you? Why do you utter
words of scorn about our sacrifice? This
aswamedha has been duly completed in
every detail in accordance with sastraic
injunctions. It is not proper that you
should speak derisively of our great
sacrifice. Everyone that has come to this
yajna has been duly attended to and has
been accorded suitable honors and gifts.
Everyone is pleased with the gifts and
returns happy and contented. The mantras
have been chanted perfectly and the
oblations duly offered. The four castes are
pleased. Why do you speak as you do? Do
explain yourself."
The weasel laughed again and said: "O
brahmanas, what I said is true. I do not
grudge the good fortune of king
Yudhishthira or the good fortune of any of
you. It is not envy that makes me say this.
The yajna, which you have just completed
so showily, is not in truth as great an act
as that gift of the poor brahmana, which I
have seen. And in reward for his gift, he
and his wife, son and daughter-in-law
were immediately taken to swarga. Listen
to my story which is a true narrative of
what I saw myself. Long before you
waged your battle there, a brahmana, lived
in Kurukshetra, who obtained his daily
food by gleaning in the fields. He and his
wife, son and daughter-in-law, all four
lived in this manner. Everyday in the
afternoon they would sit down and have
their only meal for the day. On days when
they failed to find enough grain, they
would fast until the next afternoon. They
would not keep over any thing for the next
day if they got more than they required for
the day. This was the strict unchhavritti
discipline they had pledged themselves to
observe. They passed their days thus for
many years, when a great drought came
and there was famine all over the land. All
cultivation ceased and there was neither
sowing nor harvesting nor any grain
scattered in the fields to be gleaned. For
many days the brahmana and his family
starved. One day, after wandering in
hunger and heat, with great difficulty they
came home with a small quantity of
maize, which they had gathered. They
ground it and after saying their prayers
they divided the flour into four equal parts
and, offering thanks to God, sat down