The Elephant and the Hunter from Shaddanta Jataka Story

The Elephant and the Hunter from Shaddanta Jataka Story

Ajanta Caves, Gupta Period,5th Century CE

             In the Himalaya lived an elephant with six tusks, Shaddanta.  He had two wives. One day he showered his first wife with the flowers of the Sal tree. He also presented her with lotus flowers from a lake. The second wife felt jealous. She vowed to take revenge by being born as Queen of Benaras. 

            As the queen of Benaras she feigned illness. She told the king that she can be cured only if she had the six tusks of Shaddanta.  Hunters were sent to capture him and to bring his tusks. Here we see the hunters around the huge Shaddanta.  He asked them as to purpose of their hunting him down. They told him about the queen's desire. Knowing who she really was and what was her purpose, Shaddanta, the Bodhisattva,  himself cutoff his six tusks with an axe  and gave them to the hunters. When the Queen saw the six tusks, she was full of remorse. For, she remembered Shaddanta, her loving husband from her previous life. She died of grief. 

             At times out of jealousy and anger we do tend to take revenge. But such anger boomerangs on us. Anger kills us and not the person with whom we are angry. Thus, the need to control these two emotions. For they lead to self - destruction. 

            On the other hand, by compassion we can win people over. Like Shaddanta we become a hero. The choice again  is ours.