WILDERNFESS OF LIFE:- Dhritarashtra said: “O Venerable Vidura! Tell me at full length the story of the Brahmin who was caught in the wilderness of life.” Vidura said: “Once a certain Brahmin was caught in a vast thick forst which was inhabited by wild beasts like lions, tigers, leopards & kinds. The Brahmin became perturbed & frightened. He went hither & thither to find out some place of refuge. He did not succeed. He found the forest enmeshed in a net. He saw a terrible woman standing with outstretched hands. Many five headed snakes also lived in that terrible forest. There was a pit within the forest which was covered by trees, herbs & creepers. The Brahmin fell into the pit in the course of his wanderings. He got himself entangled in the spreading branches of a big tree. He was hanging there with feet upwards & head downwards. “In this position, he saw a big snake within the pit. He also saw a huge six-faced, twelve-footed elephant slowly approaching the pit & a number of black & white mice & rats gnawing & eating the very foots of the tree. Bees swarmed in large numbers to drink the honey in the comb that was hanging a branch of the tree. The honey was trickling down in drops. The man who was thus hanging from the tree drank the honey but his thirst was not quenched. He did not obtain any satisfaction. On the other hand the thirst became more & more intense. He was restless & discontented. He was not disgusted with life. He was still clinging to life. The thirst for life became intense. His desire to continue his existence even in such miserable conditions was growing stronger & stronger.” THE CAT & THE MOUSE:-There was a large banyan tree in the midst of a forest. A wise mouse named Palita lived at the foot of the tree. Here also lived a cat named Lomasa on the branches of the tree. One day the cat was caught in a snare spread by a hunter named Parigha. When the cat—the enemy of the mouse—was caught in the net the mouse, Palita came out of the hole & moved about joyfully without any fear. It began to eat the flesh which the hunter had spread about there as a lure. While he was eating the meat, he saw a mongoose named Harita. The mongoose was getting ready to devour the mouse. The mouse saw also an owl named Chandrak sitting on a branch of the banyan tree. The mouse was greatly alarmed at the sight of his two enemies, the mongoose & the owl. THE PIOUS CAT:- If one conceals one’s evil actions. if his standard of righteousness is always unsteady like a piece of straw or cotton floating in the air, his conduct is certainly similar to that of the cat whose story is narrated by Deva Rishi Narada. Once upon a time a wicked lazy cat went to the bank of the Ganga & stood there with upraised hands. It pretended to be very pious & devotional. In order to inspire confidence in the surrounding animals & birds, it proclaimed: “I shall practice penance & virtue.” The innocent birds assembled together & praised the cat then reflected thus: “I have now achieved my object. I have realized now the fruit of my pretended devotion.” KING YAYATI:- Empoeror Yayati was the son of Nahusha. Yayati had five sons—Yadu, Turvsu, Druhyu, Anu & Purn. He ruled over his subject in a righteous manner for many years. At last when overcome with old age, he called his eldest son Yadu & spoke to him: “O Child! Old age, wrinkles & white hair have come over to me. But I have not yet got over the longings of youth. O Yadu! Take upon yourdelf my decrepitude & consequent old age in exchange for your youth. I shall then enjoy the pleasures with your youth. When one thousand years will be completed I shall return to you your youth & take back my decrepitude & its consequent weakness.” Yadu replied: “O venerable father, there are many inconveniences in old age in regard to eating & drinking. Therefore , O King! I shall not take your decrepitude upon me. This is my determination. White hair, cheerlessness, wrinkles all over the body, deformities, inability to work are the consequences of decrepitude. Even friends & dependents forsake an old decrepit man.” SAKUNTALA:- Dushyanta was the founder of the Paurava dynasty. He was a powerful King. He was the protector of the Earth. He was an expert in riding elephants & horses. In strength he was like Vishnu. In splendor he was like the Sun. Once Dushyanta, accompanied by a big army & many chariots, went into deep forest for hunting. He wandered in the forest & killed many animals. Fatigued with hunger & thirst, he entered a most lovely grove. Therein he saw the auspicious & sacred hermitage of Kanva, son of Kashyapa, beautified by the Malini rever. He left behind all his attendants & entered the hermitage alone but he did not find there the Rishi of ‘rigid vows’ (Kanva). Not finding the Rishi & seeing the hermitage empty, he called aloud “Who is here?” His voice echoed in the forest.