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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
413
chief was well versed in judging a man from his looks, so he found him useful for his ‘mission'. Being asked Durdhara agreed to follow the chief's desire. He was prepared to stay with the chief if he so chose.
Since the very day Durdhara began staying with the thieves and also began to execute works entrusted to him. The chief was pleased with him and Durdhara became the chief of the thieves on being adopted as the son of the chief. Durdhara was very enterprising and plundered many villages after sudden raids. And one who opposed was promptly executed with head being severed from the trunk with the sword. Durdhara's stroke was unfailing and so he became popular as 'DRADHAPRAHARI' (with stroke unfailing).
One day he raided the city named Kushasthala which was well guarded with the soldiers who made Durdhara's efforts difficult, still with the number of desperate companions he could overpower the soldiers and plunder the city freely.
Then, a thief entered a Brahmin's house. The Brahmin was very poor and maintained himself by begging. There was nothing worth robbing in his house but on the children's insistence the Brahmin had brought by begging some materials for milk-rice pudding. Brahmin's wife had kept ready the preparation to serve
children. The thief in the absence of other diet picked up the pot containing the milk-rice pudding.
The Brahmin was extremely enraged and dejected on seeing the pot picked up by the thief. He could not bear the sight of his children bewailing in hunger and a wretch swallowing the ready food. He lifted the bolt to attack the thief and physical fight between the two followed. In the meanwhile Dradhaprahari arrived who finding his man assailed gave a blow with his sword to chop the head of the Brahmin off his trunk.
Seeing the husband brutally murdered, Brahmin's wife trembled with fear along with her children. Now the Brahmin had domesticated a cow, which showed great fondness for the Brahmin. She at once having dismantled her ties attacked Dradhaprachari. You can just mark the loyalty of even animals ! Dradhaprahari displayed his sword on the cow's neck and severed it.
