Svarthabhedana: Exposing Selfishness

Revealing hidden motives

Two tales revealing those who hide selfishness behind noble appearances. The Cat's Pilgrimage exposes a predator pretending to be holy, while The Greedy Brahmin shows how selfish intent eventually reveals itself.

The Cat's Pilgrimage

By the banks of the river lived many mice. They were fat and happy, with plenty of grain to eat from the nearby farms.

One day, a cat arrived. But this was no ordinary cat. He wore a garland of beads. He had ash marks on his forehead. He stood on one leg near the river, eyes closed, as if in deep meditation.

"Who is that?" the mice whispered.

"He's a holy cat," said the eldest mouse. "Look at him meditating! He must have given up eating meat. He's on a spiritual pilgrimage!"

The younger mice were suspicious, but the elders believed.

Soon, a mouse approached the cat. "Great sage, we are honored by your presence. Please, tell us about your spiritual journey."

The cat opened one eye. "Ah, little friend. Yes, I have traveled to many holy places. I have given up the ways of violence. I eat only leaves and fruits now. I seek only peace."

The mice were impressed. Day after day, they would come to sit near the 'holy' cat, listening to his stories of temples and saints.

But every morning, the mice noticed something strange: their numbers were fewer.

"Where is Chotu?" a mouse asked one day.

"Didn't he go to sit with the holy cat last night?"

A young mouse named Chuha had been watching carefully. He noticed the cat's belly growing rounder each day. He noticed mice disappearing after their 'spiritual sessions' with the cat.

"This cat is no saint!" Chuha announced. "His belly is full of our brothers! Count - we've lost twenty mice since he arrived!"

The cat, realizing his trick was discovered, tried to run. But the mice surrounded him.

"You used our trust to hunt us!" Chuha said.

The cat dropped his act. "Fine! I'm a cat. You're mice. What did you expect?"

"We expected you to be honest about being a cat," Chuha replied. "Hunting is your nature. But pretending to be holy while you hunt? That's worse than being a simple predator."

The cat fled, ashamed.

Tenali told this story to the king one day.

"Why this tale, Tenali?" Krishnadevaraya asked.

"Maharaja, your minister Narasimha has been visiting poor villages, claiming to collect 'donations for temple repairs.' But no temple has received any money. The villages are poorer, and Narasimha's house has a new wing."

The king's face darkened. "So he's been a cat among mice."

"Wearing the holy ash of fake charity, Maharaja."

The Greedy Brahmin

A Brahmin named Devaraksha was known for his impressive rituals. Wealthy families invited him to perform ceremonies at their homes.

"I perform puja only for spiritual merit," he would say piously. "I take no payment. Just offer whatever the gods tell your heart."

The families, wanting to show respect, would give generously.

One day, a merchant invited Devaraksha to bless his new shop. The ritual took two hours, and Devaraksha chanted beautifully.

When it was time for the offering, the merchant said: "Great Brahmin, you said to offer what the gods tell my heart. Last night, I dreamed that the gods wanted you to receive three coconuts."

Devaraksha's face fell. "Three... coconuts?"

"Yes! In my dream, Lord Ganesha himself said: 'Devaraksha is a true saint who wants nothing worldly. Coconuts are the perfect gift.'"

The Brahmin's mask slipped. "But... but surely the gods also meant... perhaps some gold? Or at least cloth?"

"No, no," the merchant said innocently. "The dream was very clear. Just coconuts. You DID say you take no payment, right? Coconuts aren't payment - they're just fruit!"

Devaraksha stormed off with his three coconuts, furious.

The merchant laughed and turned around. There was Tenali, grinning.

"Thank you for the tip about that 'selfless' Brahmin," the merchant said.

"A truly selfless person wouldn't be angry about coconuts," Tenali replied. "His anger exposed his greed better than any accusation could."

The Wisdom

Both the cat and the Brahmin hid their selfishness behind good appearances. The cat pretended to be holy. The Brahmin pretended to be generous. But their true motives eventually showed through.

This is what makes hidden selfishness worse than open selfishness. A thief who steals honestly (if you can say that!) is less dangerous than a 'friend' who steals while pretending to help you.

How do you spot hidden selfishness? Watch for three things:

1. Results: Who actually benefits? Follow the money, the food, the power.
2. Anger: When a 'generous' person gets angry about receiving little, their mask is slipping.
3. Pattern: One disappearing mouse might be an accident. Twenty? That's dinner.

In Your Life

Sadly, some people will try to use you by pretending to be your friend. They might only be nice when they want something. They might 'help' in ways that help them more.

Here's how to protect yourself:

• Watch actions, not just words. Does their 'help' actually help you, or does it somehow benefit them more?
• Notice patterns. Do they only come around when they need something?
• Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

And ask yourself: Am I ever like this? Do I sometimes pretend to be nice when I actually want something? Catching ourselves is the hardest - but most important - part.