This is from Book 1, section 159-162
This episode occurs during the time when Kunti and
her sons are in exile living in the house of a poor householder with a wife,
one son and one daughter. There is a rakshasa in that town who gives protection
to the people – if you call it protection – on one condition. That condition is
that one family has to provide him with food every day. That includes one human
being also!
On learning that this was his turn to send in a
cart-load of food and one human for the Rakshasa’s food, the Brahmana lamented
that this earthly life is hollow as the reed and so fruitless filled with
sorrow. He says: “Life is sorrow and disease; life is truly a record of misery
in pursuit of virtue, wealth and pleasure. Salvation (moksha) is the highest
object of our desire. But it can never be attained. Now I have to give away one
of my own family to the Rakshasa or give myself away”.
He addresses his wife and says “I cannot give you
away. You have been my true friend, helping me in all my duties, as affectionate
as my mother, and the mother of my children. You have been devoted to me, and
so innocent. I cannot abandon you to
save my life. I cannot abandon my son or daughter either. Some people think
that the father's affection for a son is greater; others, that his affection
for a daughter is greater. But, I love them both equally. The sacrifice of any of you would be cruel
and censurable. On the other hand, if I sacrifice myself, who will protect
you?”
On hearing these words of the Brahmana, his wife gives
some interesting reasons for her becoming the food for the rakshasa. She says: “You
talk like an uneducated man. You know that all men are sure to die; none should
grieve for that which is inevitable. I will myself go there. This indeed, is
the highest and the eternal duty of a woman and this act will make me happy, bring
me fame in this world and eternal bliss hereafter. I had given you a son and a
daughter and thus have discharged my duties and debt. You can take better care
of children without me than I can without you. As you know, people will take
advantage of a widow and her children. I will not be able to protect myself and
our daughter from unworthy wicked men. I will not be able to teach our son
either and all three of us will perish without you. So let me go to the
Rakshasa. It is possible that the Rakshasa will not kill a woman. If he does
you can always remarry according to our custom, whereas I cannot”.
Having heard this plea, the Brahmana embraced his
wife and they cried in silence. On hearing her parent’s lamentations and
dilemma, the daughter answered as follows: “I have to go away sooner or later
to someone else’s house. Besides it is considered that the son is one's own
self; the wife is one's friend; the daughter, however, is a source of trouble.
Without my father, my brother will wither away and so will my mother. I will
then be left alone. Besides, instead of waiting for my son to save my
ancestors, I will protect them by rescuing my father’s life who can perform the
rites for the ancestors. So, please let me be the food for the Rakshasa”.
Hearing all this, the young boy (son) came with a
blade of grass in his hands and said with an infant’s lisp; “Do not worry dad,
mom and sister. I will kill that Rakshasa with this weapon”. All of them had to break into a smile with
those innocent words. At this time, Kunti entered the room, and having heard
all of this from her hiding place, told them that she will send her son, Bhima
to the Rakshasa and assured them that Bhima will destroy him. And Bhima did!
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