Yudhistira asked Rishi Markandeya about the greatness of women. The rishi replied that, unlike men, women don’t need to fast or perform sacrifices to obtain heaven. Taking care of her family with a true heart is enough. Markandeya shared the story of how a woman taught an arrogant Brahmin named Kaushika about true dharma.
Once upon a time, there lived a Brahmin, Kaushika, who studied the Vedas and performed many austerities. When he was sitting under a tree, a female crane on one of the branches pooped. Unfortunately, this excrement fell on Kaushika. He lost his temper and glared at the crane. The poor bird dropped dead. Then, the Brahmin felt sad and guilty for his act. He went into the nearby village to beg for alms. He wandered through the lanes and collected food. Kaushika reached the last house. The woman asked him to wait as she was cleaning the vessel used to give alms.
However, her husband arrived for lunch, so she stopped doing the dishes and went to take care of him. She gave him water to clean himself and served him food. Midway through, she noticed Kaushika still waiting and rushed outside to give him alms. But Kaushika was angry again since she had made him wait too long and questioned her. She tried to pacify him, but he said she insulted a Brahmin.
The woman replied that she did not insult him and she was more than aware of the power of those who performed austerities. She said she was following her dharma of taking care of her family. She also added that it was Kaushika who didn’t know much about dharma and asked him to go and meet a hunter in Mithila who knew all about it.
Kaushika was curious and said that he would do so. He thought about it for a while and decided it was the right course of action to go and meet this hunter from Mithila. Kaushika set forth on his journey and, after many days of traveling, reached the city. Mithila was beautiful and decorated as if there was a festival. The city flourished with chariots, shops, etc. He inquired about the hunter and was pointed in the direction of a slaughterhouse.
The hunter was selling the meat of buffalo and deer. Kaushika waited at the side as the hunter handled the customers and gave them what they wanted. The hunter noticed him and went to speak. He asked Kaushika what he could do for a great ascetic like him. He also said that he knew about the pious woman and the reason for the Brahmin’s arrival in Mithila. Before Kaushika could respond, the hunter invited him to his home and said his shop wasn’t the right place for their conversation.
When they reached the hunter’s house, he treated Kaushika with respect and offered him water and a comfortable seat. Kaushika said that being a butcher didn’t seem like an appropriate livelihood for such a good man like the hunter.
The hunter said it was his family occupation and he was simply following it. He said he didn’t feel it was wrong or incorrect for him. He lived within his means, was respectful to everyone, sold meat only to satisfy the needs of his customers, and didn’t indulge in anything inappropriate. Moreover, he didn’t kill the animals but sourced the dead ones from hunters who went into the forests. He purchased what was necessary, cleaned it, and chopped it up for his customers. He was doing his duty and following his dharma without causing harm to anyone.
Kaushika was so impressed that he asked the hunter many questions about following the right conduct, living a pious life despite the clash with his profession, and so on. The hunter spoke about how King Usinara obtained eternal fame by offering his flesh as food for Indra and about King Rantideva, who served meat to thousands of people every day. The hunter said that even Brahmins kill animals during sacrifices. He gave many more examples to show that being a butcher didn’t automatically affect his life or his adherence to dharma.
The hunter introduced Kaushika to his old parents. Kaushika was surprised and delighted to see how much the hunter cared for his parents and ensured they were comfortable at all times. After all, it was the dharma of a householder to keep his family fed, happy, and healthy.
Pleased with everything, Kaushika said that the hunter was the greatest rishi. The hunter thanked him and said that the Brahmin had made a few mistakes in his past, which he needed to correct. Kaushika has slighted his aging mother and father and left home to study Vedas. His parents were suffering from old age. The hunter advised Kaushika to go and take care of them. This would strengthen the power of his austerities. Kaushika said he would do so. He then wondered why he was born in the hunter community when he had such immense knowledge obtained only through intense tapasya and years of training.
The hunter shared the story of his past life.
He was a Brahmin, learned in Vedas and Vedangas. He had a friend who was a king and skilled in weaponry. This made the Brahmin also skilled at using arms. One day, the king went on a hunt and killed many deer. The Brahmin also aimed and shot a deer. However, since they were close to an ashram, the arrow mistakenly hit a rishi. The Brahmin pleaded ignorance and asked for forgiveness. But the dying rishi was angry and cursed him to be born as a hunter. The Brahmin requested the rishi once again. This time, he relented and said that though he would be born a hunter, he would retain his knowledge from his birth and live a dharmic life, thus allowing him to attain a place a heaven.
The Brahmin then removed the arrow from the rishi’s body and carried him to his ashram. He even saved the rishi’s life. The rishi assured the Brahmin that he would lead a worthy and noble life and shouldn’t feel bad about his hunter birth.
Hence, the hunter had no worries or doubts and continued to follow his dharma dutifully. He was confident that by fulfilling his family occupation and taking care of his dear ones, he would achieve the desired status and be reborn as a Brahmin in his next life. He said there was no reason for him to wallow in misery. He was content and happy.
Kaushika was impressed by the hunter and bowed to him. He then took leave to go back to the parents he had abandoned and began to care for them.