Story of the pigeon

(This is the story related by Avadhuta to King Yadu)

A pigeon built his nest on a certain tree in a forest and lived there for some years with his partner.

The two pigeons with their hearts tied in bond of love lived a family life , fixing their gaze on each other in close companionship, each intent on the other.

In the forest they went through each act of living together like sitting, roaming , talk ,resting , sport and eating - without any fear.

The female bird pleased her partner, and was in turn agreeably treated by him. Whatever the female bird wished for the other pigeon fulfilled those wants even at the cost of much trouble, for he was slave to his senses.

In the course of time the good female bird laid eggs in that nest in the presence of her mate.

In due time young birds with tender limbs and feathers grew out of those eggs . The happy pair devoted to their offspring reared the young ones listening to their chirping and delighted by their sweet accents.

They were cheerful and their wings were soft to touch. And their graceful movements and their going out to meet their parents as they come back after hunting for food gladdened the parents.

The two birds with their hearts attached to each other and beguiled by the Lords Maya reared their young ones with no higher outlook on life.

One day the pair went in search of food for them and roamed about for a long time in that forest with this object.

A fowler rambling in the woods at will saw the young ones flying near their nest and caught them by spreading a trap.

The pigeons who were always eager to bring up the young ones went out and returned to the nest with food.

The female pigeon finding the young off spring caught in the trap and weeping was much aggrieved . She rushed to help them without thinking .

The poor mother bird fettered by many a tie of love through Lord's Maya herself fell into the trap herself for she was beside herself with grief.

The poor male pigeon too finding his young ones who were more to him than his self, as well as his beloved partner who was a fit match for him also caught in the trap wept sorely afflicted.

“ Alas behold my calamity. I am Unlucky and wicked ; Earlier I have been satisfied and achieved consummation of life. Now my home, which follows the three fold ( virtue , wealth and fulfillment of desires) end of life is gone".

"Now that my wife who was a match to me and always agreeable, who looked upon me, her husband, as god has ascended to heaven with her virtuous children leaving me behind in this lonely house- For what purpose should I live in this deserted house. I am a miserable and afflicted. A widower, with all children gone – to whom the life would mean nothing but woe?"

Al though seeing them caught in the trap and almost in the jaws of death and struggling in that way , he too lost his senses and fell into the trap himself.

The cruel fowler getting the pigeon who was intent on family life with his partner and the young ones was satisfied and went home.

So what is the lesson from the story of the Pigeon.

A man has much more intellect because of his abilities of perception and inference. If he does not use them he will end up like the pigeon

Thus the miserable family man with his sense uncontrolled and taking delight in pairs of opposites, maintains his family and like the bird comes to grief together with his belongings.

Human birth is like open gateway to liberation. One who is attached like the bird to the family concerns merely , is considered as the one who has fallen from his status ( the high state which he already occupied by being born as human being !!)

om tat sat