________________
PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
469
Smart Hiranyaka said, “Oh friend crow, normally I am the victim of crows, how friendship is possible between us two ?”
The crow replied, “You are right but I have not come to you with the evil intention--you helped Chitragreeva today and similarly you also might help me someday in future. So I seek your friendship. Please fulfil my wish and oblige."
Hiranyaka said. “You are very fickle by nature and it is no use loving a fickle person. It is said, “One should not trust in a cat, a he-buffalo, a sheep, a crow and a coward man."
Laghupatanaka said, “Yes it is right but you can get many statements to support the contentions of either side of a debate. You should realise my feelings. I sincerely crave for your friendship. If you do not agree to make me your friend I shall starve to death."
Hearing such words Hiranyaka accepted him as his friend. One day Laghupatanaka said, to Hiranyaka, “There is no rain here. There is famine and it is very difficult to feed our belly so I leave for Dakshinapath region. There is a lake Karpurgaura wherein my friend Mantharaka, a crab resides."
Hiranyaka said, “I would not enjoy here without you so let me also follow you."
The crow carried the rat in his beak and both of them arrived at the lake Karpurgaura. Both of them were accorded warm welcome by the crab Mantharaka who expressed, 'This is your place, you both live here, eat drink and enjoy life here.” Real friend welcomes his friend and helps him in adversity to his best, while other friends like Nityamitra and Parvamitra shut up their doors under any pretext and leave their friend to his fate.
All the three friends stayed on the bank of the lake and passed their time in various talks on various topics. One day a deer named Chitranga came there to drink water. Mantharaka very hospitable by nature said, “Welcome, dear Deer, I hope you are quite hale and hearty.”
Chitranga said, “Not so, I was chased by a hunter's dog and I have luckily escaped myself.”
Mantharaka said, “If the place you live in is infested with fear
