Hunter Reveals His Dharma to the Brahmana

The brahmana had heard everything — the hunter’s discourse on dharma, delivered with arguments and clarity, covering the nature of salvation itself. He was extremely pleased. He spoke to the hunter who knew about dharma. “You have told me everything, with all the arguments. It seems that there is nothing about dharma that you do not know.” The hunter replied: “O supreme among brahmanas! With your own eyes, behold my dharma. O bull among brahmanas! It is through this that I have achieved success. Arise and swiftly enter my house. You should see my mother and my father.” The brahmana entered. What he saw was an extremely beautiful house — lovely and whitewashed, divided into four parts. It was like a house of the gods, worshipped by the gods themselves. Excellent seats and beds filled the rooms. The air was fragrant with perfumes. And there, comfortably seated on excellent seats, were the hunter’s parents. They had just eaten. They were dressed in white. The hunter who knew about dharma prostrated himself before them, his head at their feet. The old ones said: “Arise. Arise. May dharma always protect you. We are extremely pleased with your purity. May you have a long life. O son! You have always been a good son. You have worshipped us for a long time. You have not acknowledged a god even among the gods themselves. Through self-control, you have attained the self-control of the brahmanas. Your fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers have always been satisfied with you, because of your self-control and your worshipping of us. In thought, deed and words, you have never deviated from servitude. It seems to us that you have no other thought in your mind. Like Jamadagni’s son Rama, you have done everything to serve your aged parents. Indeed, you have done more.” The hunter introduced the brahmana to them. They welcomed him with honours. The brahmana accepted the honours and asked: “Is everything well in your household, with your sons and your servants? Are you physically well, without any disease?” The old couple replied: “Everything is well at home and the servants are fine too. Did you confront any impediments in coming here?” The brahmana said he had not. Then the hunter who knew about dharma spoke words of great import to the brahmana. “These two, my father and my mother, are the supreme gods for me. I do for them what is undertaken for the gods. There are thirty-three gods, with Shakra at the forefront. Just as they are worshipped by all the worlds, so do I tend to my aged parents. Just as brahmanas collect offerings for the gods, so do I unceasingly act for these two. My father and my mother are my supreme gods. I continuously satisfy them with flowers, fruits and gems. They are like the fires the learned ones speak about. They are everything to me — like sacrifices and the four Vedas. My life, my wife, my sons and my well-wishers are for them. With my sons and my wife, I always serve them. I bathe them myself and wash their feet. I give them food myself. I only speak pleasant things to them, avoiding the unpleasant. So as to bring pleasure to them, I even do that which is adharma. Knowing dharma to be my preceptor, I tirelessly serve them. It has been said that a man prospers through five gurus — the father, the mother, the fire, he himself and the preceptor. If they are served properly, they always remain for him, like well-tended fires. That is the eternal dharma for those who are in the householder stage.”