The Story of the Potter

Panchtantra Stories

There was once a potter named Yudhishtira in a small village. One day, Yudhishtira drank some liquor and got so intoxicated that he lost his balance and fell on some broken pieces of a pitcher. Somehow he went home. But the sharp edges of the pot pieces cut a big wound on his forehead, which took a long time to heal. Moreso because, he neglected the physician's instructions. Suddenly, a famine struck the whole country. The potter left the country with some others of the royal household. In the new country, he found a job with the king of that country. The king saw the mark of the big wound on his face and thought that Yudhishtira must have been a great warrior who suffered wounds in a battle. The king began showering special attention and affection on the potter, which the king’s sons envied. They could not harm him because he was the king’s favourite.  When everything was going smoothly for the potter, a war came and the king was summoning all known warriors to honour them and prepare them for the war. The king’s men were readying the elephants and horses for the combat while the soldiers were busy staging rehearsals. It was now time for the king to know everything about Yudhishtira.  He sent for the potter and asked him when no one was around, "What is your name, o warrior? In what battle were you injured?"  The potter told the king, "My lord, this is not a wound inflicted on me in a battle. I am a potter and my name is Yudhishtira. One day, when I was drunk, I ran and fell on sharp pieces of a broken pot. This scar on my face is the result of that fall." Ashamed that he deceived himself by the speech and garments of the potter, the king asked his servants to throw out the potter.  But Yudhishtira appealed to the king, "My lord, please don’t throw me out. See how well I will fight."  The king said, "I admit you are a warrior. But you are born in a potter community and hence cannot kill an elephant."  "How is that," asked the potter.  The king then told him the following story.