The story of Kaushika and butcher is found in the Vana Parva
of the Mahabharata. The story clearly demonstrates that place and profession
does not matter in spirituality. The story also shows how a housewife is more
spiritual than a person living in solitude in forest.
Kaushika was born to his parents when they were old. Right
from his childhood, Kaushika was spiritually inclined. As he entered youth hood,
he announced to his parents that he wished to quit family life and go off to
forest to attain self realization.
But his old parents were unhappy with his decision. They
were fragile and needed the help of their son in old age.
Kaushika was determined to attain his spiritual goal. He ignored
his weak parents and left for forest. With single-minded devotion he mastered
several spiritual practices.
One day when Kaushika was meditating under a tree, a crane
sat on the tree and started crying out loud. An angry Kaushika opened his eyes
and stared at the crane. The crane burst into flames.
Kaushika felt remorse at killing the crane. But at the same
time he also felt proud of his powers.
Kaushika then went to a nearby village to beg for his daily
alms. He went to a small house and the woman of the house went into get some
food for Kaushika. But at the same time her husband came home and asked for
food. The lady first attended to her husband and told Kaushika to wait for few minutes.
Kaushika could not bear this insult and was brimming with
anger. When the woman of the house came to serve food, Kaushika angrily stared
at her. The woman smiled and told Kaushika that she was not a crane to die at
his angry stare.
Kaushika was taken aback as to how the woman came to know
about an incident that had no witness. Kaushika realized that the woman before
him was no ordinary housewife.
Kaushika bowed before her and asked her to enlighten him
with her knowledge. The housewife told Kaushika that he has merely mugged up
the scriptures and has not realized the true meaning of those scriptures.
She told him that as a housewife her complete focus is on
the welfare of her family. Similarly, as a student of spirituality, his focus
should be on learning and not on some crane on a tree. What is the use of such learning,
when it cannot protect him from anger, the gateway to hell.
The housewife then asked Kaushika to go to Mithila and meet
Dharmavyadha who would be an ideal Guru for him.
On reaching Mithila, Kaushika realized that Dharmavyadha was
a famous person and everyone knew about him and considered him to be the
greatest teacher of the region.
But Kaushika was stunned on spotting Dharmavyadha and could
not believe his eyes. Dharmavyadha was a butcher by profession.
Dharmavyadha immediately recognized Kaushika as the man who
was sent by the housewife. This perplexed Kaushika.
Dharmavyadha asked Kaushika to wait as he had to serve his
customers who had queued up on his shop for meat.
When the day’s work was over, Dharmavyadha invited Kaushika
to his home.
Kaushika was full of doubts. He wanted to know how a man who
butchered animals could be a great teacher.
Dharmavyadha understood the thoughts of Kaushika and told him
that he was following his family trade. He worked all day to feed his family.
Dharmavyadha then told the great secret of nature. No living
being can survive without harming another living. To satisfy hunger, every
living has to kill something or the other. Killing for the sake of killing is
sin. But killing for satisfying one’s hunger is not a sin. This rule is followed
by animals in nature.
Warriors and hardworking laborers need to consume meat. As
he lives in a society, it is his duty to do his profession and so he serves
meat to his customers and makes a living. True spirituality is doing one’s duty
without fear and not bothering about the end result.
When the butcher entered his house his children came running
to him. He saw the butcher attending to his ailing parents. He saw his butcher getting
daily essentials for the family.
Kaushika now remembered his parents who begged him not to abandon
them.
Kaushika realized that like the butcher he too could attain
true self realization by living with his parents.