Kashyapa narrates the origin of the fighting elephant and tortoise
Kashyapa tells his son a story of two brothers, Vibhavasu and Supratika, whose quarrel over dividing their wealth ended in mutual curses. Transformed into an elephant and a tortoise, their ancient enmity now plays out in a lake, where they fight endlessly.
Kashyapa began to tell a story.
"In ancient times," he said, "there was a maharshi (great sage) named Vibhavasu. He became angry very easily. He had a younger brother named Supratika, who was also a great ascetic."
Supratika was unwilling to maintain their wealth jointly. He always spoke of dividing it. After some time, Vibhavasu confronted his brother. He spoke of the delusion that drives men to partition common property, how division breeds enmity disguised as friendship, and how divided relatives meet their downfall. "That is the reason," Vibhavasu said, "why learned ones never approve partition among brothers."
He saw his brother was beyond his control. "Disregarding my advice and out of love for riches, you wish for a partition," Vibhavasu said. "I curse you that you will become an elephant."
Thus cursed, Supratika retaliated. "You will become a tortoise that lives in the water."
Cursed by each other, their minds deluded by desire, they became an elephant and a tortoise — animals of low birth. But they carried their old selves with them: boastful of their strength and size, and locked in their vice of enmity. They lived in a huge lake, where their ancient quarrel played out in animal form.
Kashyapa pointed. "Look at one of them, the large and handsome elephant, come towards this lake now." Hearing the elephant's trumpeting, the giant tortoise would rise from the depths, agitating the waters. The elephant would curl its trunk and rush into the water, and the fight would begin anew. The elephant was six yojanas in height and double that in length. The tortoise was three yojanas in height and ten in circumference.
"These two are maddened at the prospect of fighting each other and wish to kill each other," Kashyapa concluded. "Eat them up and swiftly accomplish the task you wish to perform."