6. Sibi & The Dove

Come nigh, little bird, with your half-stretched quivering wings-- Within you I behold choirs of angels and the Lord himself in vista.                        -- Edward Carpenter In olden days there ruled in Ayodhya, an emperor by name Sibi. One day when he was seated on his throne attending to affairs of state, a dove flew to the king for refuge. 'Save me,' gasped the dove, 'and protect me from my cruel enemy.'     The poor bird looked pitiable; it was bleeding and its feathers were torn. Sibi stroked its feathers gently and said, 'Poor dove, be not afraid. I shall take care of you. Cost what it may, I will see that your life is protected. No harm shall come to you at any time.'     At this moment, a huge hawk flew into the hall where the emperor was seated, and said, 'Great Ruler, I am a bird of prey. I have to live by killing other birds and making a meal of them. I had almost killed this bird when it flew to you for shelter. Do you not know that by saving that dove you will really be the cause of the death of myself and my whole family? Is that fair? How can you be said to be virtuous and just if my family and myself are victims of dire injustice, at your hands?'     'Ah!  I see,' said the emperor, 'it is because you have lost your prey that you are angry. But I cannot agree  to give up to you the dove that I have sworn to protect. Instead, you shall have whatever you choose to feed you, your wife and children. Tell me what you want and you shall have plenty of it.'     'Very well,' said the hawk, 'you say I may have anything I choose. Then I choose a portion of your flesh of the same weight as the dove. That is the only substitute I am willing to accept.     The king expressed his willingness to grunt this strange request and ordered the scales to be brought. He placed the dove in one scale and in the other he placed piece after piece of flesh out from his body, so that they might be equal in weight to the dove. But the more he cut off the flesh of his body and put in the scale, the heavier the bird appeared to be. All that was now left of him was his mere frame of bones. Even then the scales were not poised equally. So he himself sat in the scale. His wife and relations, his ministers and generals were struck with grief. Loud sobbing and weeping were heard on all sides. But Sibi sat unmoved and looked cheerful because he felt happy to think that he was true to his promise and was going to save the life of a poor bird that sought his aid. He said, 'I sit here as a sovereign not of the low or the great, not of the dove or the hawk but as the living embodiment of Dharma (justice). If I fail in my duty, my people will do likewise and Adharma (injustice) will prevail everywhere.'     At this heroic sacrifice, celestial nymphs and angels were pleased and came down to the earth.     Suddenly there was heard a loud voice, 'Saved, saved.' Nobody knew whence the voice came. They all looked around. The hawk was gone and was no more to be seen. Only the dove  was there. The dove said, 'Emperor Sibi, wonder not. I shall explain it all. I am no dove, nor is that a real hawk that asked for the flesh of your body. That was God Indra and I am God Agni. We heard that your love of birds and beasts was very great. We wanted to test the truth of it. we are now satisfied. You will find your body as strong and handsome as before. You will live to a good old age and reign happily. Your name will be handed down from generation to generation and your praises will be sung for ever'.     With these words, the dove too disappeared when, to the immense joy of all, Sibi stood up as strong and mighty as before. He lived for many years and ruled his subjects as he had ever done. ****  **** Additional Information of Interest Click here to find out more about King Sibi Chakravarthy. Clcik here to know more about this famous tale which appears both in Hindu mythology and Buddhist Jataka Tales. It also appears in Mahabharata, Aranya Parva, Adhayayas, 130-131. Click here to find out more about the ancient city of Ayodhya.