The Brahmani and the Mongoose

Panchtantra Stories

There lived a Brahmin named Deva Sharma in a city in the north, whose wife had delivered a son. At the same time, a she-mongoose gave birth to a male child, which the Brahmani (Brahmin's wife) adopted and started raising along with her own son. But she did not trust the mongoose, as it was an animal, and therefore would not leave her son alone in fear of any harm. Elders have indeed said that a son is a parent's darling, however ugly, immoral, foolish or wicked he may be. It is said: "The bonds of a son are stronger than The bonds of a friend, father, or well wisher." One day, leaving for the lake to bring water, the Brahmin’s wife told her husband to keep a watch on their son. Soon, a cobra entered the house. Fearing danger to the son of the Brahmin, the mongoose attacked the cobra and killed him. Hearing the footfalls of his mother Brahmani, the mongoose, with a mouth smeared by blood, went to greet her. When the mother saw the mongoose with his mouth oozing blood, thought that what she had feared had happened. Without a second thought, the Brahmin’s wife threw the pot of water on the mongoose and the mongoose died as a result.  Mourning the death of the mongoose, the woman entered the house and found that her child was soundly sleeping in the cradle and also the cobra bitten to pieces by the mongoose. The woman was struck by grief that she had killed the mongoose that was like a son to her.  Meanwhile, her husband returned and she began cursing him, "You miser, you didn’t heed my word and went out for alms. Self-interest is good. Too much of it will earn a man the fate of Chakradhara," the Brahmani said.  "Who is Chakradhara and what is his story?" asked the husband. Following is his story as told by the Brahmin’s wife.