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Lecture from Srimad Bhagavatam 7.2.50
Dallas, TX
2007-07-30
50. There
was once a hunter who lured birds with food and captured them after
spreading a net. He lived as if appointed by death personified as the
killer of the birds.
51. While wandering in the forest, the hunter
saw a pair of kuliìga birds. Of the two, the female was captivated by
the hunter’s lure.
52. O queens of Suyajïa, the male kuliìga bird,
seeing his wife put into the greatest danger in the grip of Providence,
became very unhappy. Because of affection, the poor bird, being unable
to release her, began to lament for his wife.
53. Alas, how
merciless is Providence! My wife, unable to be helped by anyone, is in
such an awkward position and lamenting for me. What will Providence
gain by taking away this poor bird? What will be the profit?
54. If
unkind Providence takes away my wife, who is half my body, why should
He not take me also? What is the use of my living with half of my body,
bereaved by loss of my wife? What shall I gain in this way?
55. The
unfortunate baby birds, bereft of their mother, are waiting in the nest
for her to feed them. They are still very small and have not yet grown
their wings. How shall I be able to maintain them?
56. Because of
the loss of his wife, the kuliìga bird lamented with tears in his eyes.
Meanwhile, following the dictations of mature time, the hunter, who was
very carefully hidden in the distance, released his arrow, which
pierced the body of the kuliìga bird and killed him.
57. Thus
Yamaräja, in the guise of a small boy, told all the queens: You are all
so foolish that you lament but do not see your own death. Afflicted by
a poor fund of knowledge, you do not know that even if you lament for
your dead husband for hundreds of years, you will never get him back
alive, and in the meantime your lives will be finished.