Weekly Definitions - Dharma- Story of Sibi Chakravarthy!

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A Member asked me off list to post the story of Sibi

Chakravarthy ...

 

i hope you will all enjoy readng it as much as i enjoy narrating it!

 

Shibi chakravati was a King in the Chola dynasty . He was well known

for his generous nature ( he was like KARNA THE VERY EMBODIMENT OF

daana) ! Once Lord Indra and Agni Devata wanted to test Shibi

chakravarthy . So Agnideva assumed the form of a pigeon and Indra

took the form of a vulture!

 

The pigeon was flying in the sky and was chased by the ravenously

hungry vulture . The pigeon was tired of flying and in sheer

exasperation reached the garden of the king's Palace and fell at the

great King's feet . The pigeon cried " O! Mighty King! ' Sharanam!

Sharanam! Please Save me !"

 

The king was pondering over this request when the Vulture also

approached the King and said to King Sibi " you have no right to

seize my food (aharam) from me . I am very hungry and I will die

for lack of food."

 

The king was in a royal dilemma . It was his KSHATRIYA DHARMA ( DUTY

OF A KING) to protect anyone one comes to him for shelter . Not only

that , if he does not follow his dharma as a king , there will be no

Rains , no crops and above all there will be misery all around ! On

the other hand , if the King took away the food that belonged to

the vulture , he will be committing a grave sin!

 

The King offered the vulture that he will treat the bird to a royal

feast if it would kindly spare the life of the pigeon! But the

vulture was adamant . Finally, the king in sheer despair asked the

vulture in what way he could compensate . The vulture said " O Great

King ! Why don't you offer tha portion of the flesh from your right

thigh equal to the weight of the pigeon?" The King readily agreed

and started to cut his Thigh and weigh it on the Balance scale ,,,

but however much the king cut the flesh from the Thigh , he could

not match the weight of the pigeon !" Finally, the king offered his

own life in exchange for the pigeon! At this point , the vulture

assumed its original form of Lord Indra and prevented Sibi

chakravarthy from taking his own life!

 

Indra and Agni devi fall down at the Great king's feet and address

Sibi Chakravarthy thus " O! Great Daanaveera! You will be known in

all the three worlds for upholding Dharma ( that of protecting those

who surrender to you - Sharanagati)!

 

We all know the meaning of the syllable 'da' from the Brihadarayakya

upanishads - 'Dama, Dana and Daya' - Damyata, datta, dayadhvam iti,

tad etat trayam 'sikset:- SELF CONTROL ( DAMA) , DAYA ( COMPASSION )

DANA ( CHARITY) ! NOW , May we add the Fourth 'D' too ? Dharma !

 

As the Brihadaranayaka upanishad says

 

The supremacy of dharma :

 

tadetat ks.atrasya ks.atram yaddharmah

tasma_ddharma_tparam na_sti

atho abali_ya_n bali_ya_msama_s'amsate dharmen.a

yatha ra_ja_ evam

 

The law (Dharma) is the king of kings. No one is superior to Dharma.

The Dharma aided by the power of the king enables the weak to

prevail over the strong.

 

Aum Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi!