You Tiger You

Walter

30 March 2007, 07:30

Om! I bow to Narayana, to Saraswati and to Ganesha though he may still curse my name. I bring my palms together and greet the god within you! Namaskar! I am glad that I met with you today, for I must tell someone the story of the syamantaka jewel.

Yes, I know it is Ganesh Chaturthi and I’m not supposed to look at the moon but if you just let me tell you the story, all will be fine. No, I’m not trying to avoid my Karma, but you see I was walking home from bathing in the river and a tiger leapt out of a thicket and started to chase a cow. I value my life as much as the next man but it was my Dharma to save that cow, so I grabbed a stick and ran after the tiger shouting things that I’m certain will have me reborn as a donkey if I repeat these words to you.

The cow? She’s fine. My shouting scared the cow who started to run. The tiger did not seem thrilled at having its meal escape, so it turned and bounded after me. I dropped that stick and ran as fast as I could, praying to Vishnu with every breath. I was beginning to think my Dharma was to be the tiger’s breakfast when my foot was caught and I found myself tumbling to the ground.

The next thing that I knew the tiger was leaping right at me. I closed my eyes and prayed to Vishnu but to my shock it wasn’t teeth I felt upon my skin but something rough and dry. I opened my eyes and to my horror the tiger had lain down next to me and was licking my arm. See, she tore the skin right off. It wasn’t Sri Vishnu, however that had rescued me from the belly of the beast. Sri Kama had saved me and the tiger wished me to mate with it, lifting her haunches for me as she licked me. I know Sri Kama’s sutra and there is nothing in there about tigers.

Sir, no, I do not lie sir. Please come back, you see as I ran from the tiger I couldn’t help but see the moon.

Please, don’t walk away, if I don’t tell you the story of the syamantaka jewel than I’ll be cursed! Some terrible thing will be blamed on me, and it is a man’s Dharma to attend to Karma but I’ve done nothing. Yes, I know that it must be Karma from a previous life but sir, won’t you stay and listen to my story? Please!

Oh no! No! Dearest, don’t frighten him so! Please get off the good man, I’m certain he’ll want to listen now. Ah, sir, don’t be frightened, she means you no harm, she’s a good wife. Now about the syamantaka jewel….

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