0068. The Golden Mongoose

From Stories for Young Children from Hindu Sacred Books. No author is listed, but the book was published by the Board of Trustees of Central Hindu College in Benares. Online at: Hathi Trust.

Notes. This is a famous scene from the Mahabharata, after the great war, when Yudhishthira is being installed as king. You can find out more at Wikipedia: The fable of the mongoose.

Summary: A golden mongoose tells Yudhshthira the story of a brahmin and his family who showed hospitality to a hungry guest even during a time of famine.

Read the story below:

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THE GOLDEN MONGOOSE

(illustrated Mahabharata)

Once upon a time King Yudhishthira made a great sacrifice, and the cups and the vessels and the arches and the stakes, everything, was of gold. It was very grand and a great many people were there.

A little Mongoose was present also, and half his body was of gold.

People asked him: "How is it that half your body is of gold? Tell us the reason."

And the Mongoose said: "I will tell you, for all this gold that is here, all these gems and money, are not of so much value as one small measure of powdered barley."

There was once a Brahmana who had made a vow that he would only eat the food that he could gather in the fields. This Brahmana lived with his wife and son and daughter-in-law. At one time there was a terrible famine in the land. Very few grains were left by the threshers, there was very little to be gathered, and the Brahmana and his family could only get one very small meal a day. They became thinner and thinner till at last they were almost like skeletons.

One day the Brahmana had found a little barley, and his wife ground it and divided it into four portions, so that they might each have a share. They were very glad, and sat down to eat.

Just as they were going to begin a guest stood in the doorway. The Brahmana got up quickly and brought him in, and gave him water to wash with and made him sit down. He then put before the guest his own small share of food, and the guest ate it. It was a very small portion, and when the guest had finished he was still hungry.

Then the wife placed her portion of food in the hand of the Brahmana, so that he might give that to the guest, that he might be satisfied. The Brahmana did not like to take it, for he knew how weak his wife was, and he said: "O mother of my son, do thou keep the food and eat," but she would not, for she would not have a guest hungry in her house. The guest therefore ate her share, but he was still hungry and wanted more.

Then the son brought his little heap of grain, and the Brahmana was sad for the hunger of his son, yet gave the food to his guest. But alas! Even then the guest was still hungry.

Then the son’s young wife brought her share also, and held it out to the Brahmana that he might give that also. "Not yours, my little one, not yours," he said, for she was so young and feeble.

But she pressed him to give saying: "O my father, and father of my son’s father, let me share in your good deed; a guest should ever be treated as a Deva, give him this my food." Therefore the Brahmana took it from the gentle girl and gave it to his guest.

Then the guest having eaten rose up, and a bright light shone round him, and they knew that in truth he was a Deva, and he stood before them bright and beautiful.

Then the Mongoose told the people how there had been a few grains which had fallen on the ground uneaten by the great Deva. The Mongoose had rolled on these grains and as they touched his body they turned, it to gold, because of the great virtue of that gift of hospitality.

And this was why the body of the Mongoose was half golden.