Chandkaushik

Read the children's telling free

Mahavir walked from village to village, barefoot and quiet. One day he set out for a village called Vachala, and the short path went through a lonely forest. The villagers begged him, "Please do not go! A great angry snake named Chandkaushik lives there. Just one look from him is poison." But Mahavir felt no fear. He felt kindness for the snake. He smiled gently and walked on.

The forest was dry and brown, and no birds sang there. Mahavir stood still near an old broken hermitage and closed his eyes to meditate. Soon the big snake came out. His eyes glowed like hot coals. He hissed and stared at the monk, but nothing happened. He grew angrier and angrier, and at last he bit Mahavir's foot.

Then something wonderful happened. Instead of red blood, white milk flowed out. The snake pulled back. He had never seen anything like it. Mahavir opened his eyes. There was no anger in them, only love, like a parent looking at a child who has lost his way. "Calm down, Chandkaushik," he said softly. "Calm down. Understand."

Those gentle words went deep into the snake's heart. He began to remember his past lives. Once he had been a monk with a hot temper. Another time he had been Kaushik, who was always angry. Life after life, his anger had brought him lower and lower. Now he understood. The real poison was not in his teeth. It was in his anger.

The snake bowed his head before Mahavir. He made a quiet promise: "I will never hurt anyone again. I will not even look at anyone with angry eyes." Mahavir blessed him and went on his way.

The snake lay very still beside his hole. Some people brought him milk and sweets, and ants came and crawled all over him. Some people still remembered his anger and threw stones. But Chandkaushik kept his promise. He did not hiss. He did not even turn over, so that he would not hurt the little ants. He forgave everyone.

After some days, his life came to a peaceful end, and his soul rose to a happy heaven. The forest slowly turned green again. One kind and fearless look had done what no weapon ever could.