The Tale of a Powerful Emperor and His Daughter's Beauty
A Powerful Emperor's Dilemma
Once, there was an emperor of great power. His daughter was so beautiful that even the gods contemplated that marrying her would bless their lives. Her beauty was renowned throughout the three worlds, and the emperor was well aware of this.
One night, the emperor paced restlessly in his chamber. The next morning, the queen noticed and asked, “Your Majesty, you were awake all night. Is something troubling you?” The emperor replied, “I am worried about my daughter. However, I have made a decision. A capable man should not blame fate. I will marry my daughter myself.”
Despite the queen's attempts to dissuade him, it is difficult to change someone's mind when it is set in stone. The following day, the emperor announced in the royal court, “I am a capable man, and I will marry my own daughter. A capable man should not blame fate.” No one dared to oppose him, and the wedding date was set.
The Sage's Intervention
The queen secretly sought the counsel of a sage, weeping as she recounted the entire situation. The sage reassured her, saying, “Do not worry. I will come to your palace for a meal the day before the wedding.”
On the eve of the wedding, the sage arrived and prepared three plates: one with 56 delicacies, another with waste, and the third for himself. The emperor was summoned from the royal court for the meal.
The sage said, “Your Majesty, I have heard you are a capable man. It has been my aspiration for many lifetimes to dine with a capable man. Please eat from this plate.” To the emperor's shock, the plate presented to him contained waste instead of the delicacies.
A Lesson Learned
Furious, the emperor exclaimed, “How can this be? I cannot eat this!” The sage calmly replied, “Your Majesty, you are a capable man. There is no fault in you.” The emperor was left in a state of confusion. Then, through his yogic powers, the sage transformed into a pig and consumed the waste before returning to his original form.
Witnessing this, the emperor fell to his knees, and his eyes were opened to the truth. This story teaches us that every being contains protein—be it a cow, a tree, or a human. However, this does not imply that everything is fit for consumption. A mother, sister, and wife are all women, yet our perspectives differ. Similarly, a cow is not merely an animal to us; it is revered as 'mother.'
In Hindu tradition, there are profound and scientific reasons for considering the cow as a mother. Hindus are the community that has explored the mind, the soul, and the divine, demonstrating the ability to eternalize the invisible. Thus, when Hindus refer to the cow as mother, it is not just faith but a solid and profound scientific perspective.