Dharmavyādha
By Swami Harshananda
Once a brāhmaṇa who was an expert in archery accidentally killed a sage. Sage cursed him to be born as a butcher. He was reborn as the butcher Dharmavyādha in the city of Mithilā. He was deeply devoted to his parents and served them with great fervor.
Kauśika, a brāhmaṇa mendicant, was directed by a devout house-wife to learn the secrets of dharma from Dharmavyādha of Mithilā. When Kauśika approached Dharmavyādha, he was pleased to teach him the utility and the significance of performing one’s duties in life. One should execute one's duty even if it appears unpleasant to oneself or others. Such Karmayoga leads to purification of one’s mind and ultimately, to spiritual enlightenment. His teachings which appear in the Vanaparva of the Mahābhārata[1] deserve the name ‘Vyādhagītā’.
References[edit]
- ↑ Mahābhārata chapters 207-216
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore