A wicked bird hunter, with the appearance of Yama, the God of death, used to roam about in the jungle. He had neither friends nor relatives. He was deserted by everyone because of his cruel deeds. One day, while the hunter was wandering about in the jungle, he caught a female dove and threw her into a cage. It was now evening. Suddenly a storm accompanied by heavy rain broke loose, so ferociously that it seemed as if the end of the world was at hand.

The hunter was terrified and began to shiver from the rain and cold. He searched for a place where he could find shelter and went and stood under a tree. After sometime, however, the sky cleared and when the hunter looked up, he saw a bright star. Then he said in a loud voice, “I seek shelter from whoever may be living in this tree. Let him protect me! I am bewildered by cold and hunger .”

Now a pair of doves had, for a long time, made their nest in this tree. This particular evening, the female dove had not come home and her husband was desperately worried about her.

“The wind blows fiercely along with the rain,’ he said, “and my wife has not yet returned. My home is empty without her.”

Now the bird hunter had caught this very dove’s wife and put her in his cage. When the trapped dove heard her husband talking like this, she replied to him, “I want to tell you something for you own good. Please listen. If someone comes to your house for shelter, he should be protected, even if it means risking your own life. This hunter is cold and hungry and he asks you to protect him. So make him welcome. And don’t hate this hunter because he has caged your wife. I have been imprisoned only as a result of my past actions.”

The female dove continued, “Poverty, disease, grief, imprisonment and disaster, all these come from one’s own deeds. So, stop hating the hunter because of my captivity, think of religion and welcome him according to our traditions.”

When the male dove heard his wife’s virtuous words, he approached the hunter warmly and said to him, “My friend, welcome! Consider this place as your own home and don’t let any thing worry you.”

When the hunter heard this, he replied, “Oh, dove! Please protect me from this terrible cold.” The dove flew to a place some way off and brought back a live coal. He dropped it on some dry leaves and the flames began to spread rapidly. He said to the hunter, ‘Warm yourself and don’t be afraid. But unfortunately, I have nothing here to satisfy your hunger.

Some people entertain thousands, some tens, but I am so wretched that I cannot even support myself. But what is the good of staying in the house of someone who is so beset with troubles that he is unable to feed even one guest?”

The male dove continued , “So, what I shall do is sacrifice this sorrowful body of mine and make myself useful. Then I shall not have to admit that I turned a guest away hungry from my door.”

And so, the male dove put all the blame on himself and said not a word of reproach to the hunter. Then he said, “Just wait a moment, soon I shall satisfy your hunger.”

When he had said this, with joy in his heart, the pious bird flew once round the fire and then entered it, as if it had been his own nest.

When the hunter saw all this, his heart was moved with pity and he said, “The mind of a man who lives wickedly is always in turmoil and ultimately he has to pay for his evil actions.

I, as a result of my sins, will undoubtedly go to hell. But this virtuous dove has set an ideal before me. From today on, I shall give up all my pleasures and lead a life of discipline.”

And so the hunter threw away his net, released the unfortunate female dove and broke the cage into pieces. When the female dove saw her husband burnt in the fire, she began to wail and sob pitifully. She cried, ” Oh, My Lord!what is the good of living without you? Widowhood results in loss of pride, loss of respect in the household and loss of authority over servants.”

And so, heart-broken and crying pitifully, the devoted wife flew into the very same flames. Sometimes after her earthly death, the female dove saw her husband transformed into a divine creature. He was riding a chariot and wearing costly ornaments. The female dove found that she too had assumed a divine form and she went over to her husband. “My virtuous wife,” said the male dove, “you have done well in following me.”

And, the hunter renounced everything and began to live in the forest as a sage. His mind became free of all desires. One day, he saw a forest fire in front of him. He walked into it and his body was burnt. Thus he paid for his sins and entered heaven with great joy.

❖ Self-sacrifice is the highest stage of sacrifice.

❖ Poverty, disease, grief, imprisonment and disaster, all these come from one’s own deeds.

❖ One has to pay for his evil actions.