In that cell Chakra saw a man being tortured by means of an iron wheel[7] on his head, that revolved incessantly. And Chakra asked him,—“Who are you, by what crime did you incur this, and how do you manage to continue alive?” And the man answered—“I am a merchant’s son named Khaḍga, and because I did not obey the commands of my parents, they were angry and in wrath laid this curse upon me:[8] ‘Because, wicked son, you torture us like a hot wheel placed on the head, therefore such shall be your punishment.’ When they had said this they ceased, and as I wept, they said to me, ‘Weep not, your punishment shall only last for one month.’ When I heard that, I spent the day in grief, and at night when I was in bed, I saw, as if in a dream, a terrible man come. He took me off and thrust me by force into this iron cell, and he placed on my head this burning and ever-revolving wheel. This was my parents’ curse, hence I do not die. And the month is at an end to-day; still I am not set free.” When Khaḍga said that, Chakra in pity answered him—“I too did not obey my parents, for I went abroad to get wealth against their will, and they pronounced against me the curse that my wealth, when acquired, should perish. So I lost in the sea my whole wealth, that I had acquired in a foreign island. My case is the same as yours. So what is the use of my life? Place this wheel on my head. Let your curse, Khaḍga, depart.” When Chakra said this, a voice was heard in the air “Khaḍga, thou art released, so place this wheel on the head of Chakra.” When Khaḍga heard this, he placed the wheel on the head of Chakra, and was conveyed by some invisible being to his parents’ house.
There he remained without disobeying again the orders of his parents: but Chakra put that wheel upon his head, and then spake thus—“May other sinners also on the earth be released from the result of their sins; until all sins are cancelled, may this wheel revolve on my head.” When the resolute Chakra said this, the gods in heaven, being pleased, rained flowers and thus addressed him: “Bravo! Bravo! man of noble spirit, this compassion has cancelled thy sin, go; thou shalt possess inexhaustible wealth.” When the gods said this, that iron wheel fell from the head of Chakra, and disappeared somewhere. Then a Vidyádhara youth descended from heaven, and gave him a valuable treasure of jewels, sent by Indra pleased with his self-abnegation, and taking Chakra in his arms, carried him to his city named Dhavala, and departed as he had come. Then Chakra delighted his relations by his arrival at the house of his parents, and, after telling his adventures, remained there without falling away from virtue.
When Chandrasvámin had told this story, he said again to Mahípála, “Such evil fruits does opposition to one’s parents produce, my son, but devotion to them is a wishing-cow of plenty: in illustration of this hear the following tale.”
Story of the hermit and the faithful wife.
There was in old time a hermit of great austerity, who roamed in the forest. And one day a hen-crow, as he was sitting under the shade of a tree, dropped dirt upon him, so he looked at the crow with angry eyes. And the crow, as soon as he looked at it, was reduced to ashes; and so the hermit conceived a vain-glorious confidence in the might of his austerities.
Once on a time, in a certain city, the hermit entered the house of a Bráhman, and asked his wife for alms. And that wife, who was devoted to her husband, answered him, “Wait a little, I am attending upon my husband.” Then he looked at her with an angry look, and she laughed at him and said, “Remember,[9] I am not a crow.” When the hermit heard that, he sat down in a state of astonishment, and remained wondering how she could possibly have come to know of the fate of the crow. Then, after she had attended upon her husband in the oblation to the fire and in other rites, the virtuous woman brought alms, and approached that hermit. Then the hermit joined his hands in the attitude of supplication, and said to that virtuous woman: “How did you come to know of my adventure with the crow in the forest; tell me first, and then I will receive your alms?” When the hermit said this, that wife, who adored her husband, said, “I know of no virtue other than devotion to my husband, accordingly by his favour I have such power of discernment. But go and visit a man here who lives by selling flesh, whose name is Dharmavyádha, from him thou shalt learn the secret of blessedness free from the consciousness of self.” The hermit, thus addressed by the all-knowing faithful wife, took the portion of a guest, and after bowing before her, departed.
Story of Dharmavyádha the righteous seller of flesh.[10]
The next day he went in search of that Dharmavyádha, and approached him, as he was selling flesh in his shop. And as soon as Dharmavyádha saw the hermit, he said, “Have you been sent here, Bráhman, by that faithful wife?” When the hermit heard that, he said to Dharmavyádha in his astonishment,—“How come you to have such knowledge, being a seller of flesh?” When the hermit said this, Dharmavyádha answered him—“I am devoted to my father and mother, that is my only object in life. I bathe after I have provided them with the requisites for bathing, I eat after I have fed them, I lie down after I have seen them to bed; thus it comes to pass that I have such knowledge. And being engaged in the duties of my profession, I sell only for my subsistence the flesh of deer and other animals slain by others, not from desire of wealth. And I and that faithful wife do not indulge self-consciousness, the impediment of knowledge, so the knowledge of both of us is free from hindrance. Therefore do you, observing the vow of a hermit, perform your own duties, without giving way to self-consciousness, with a view to acquiring purity, in order that you may quickly attain the supreme brightness.” When he had been thus instructed by Dharmavyádha, he went to his house and observed his practice, and afterwards he returned satisfied to the forest. And by his advice he became perfected, and the faithful wife and Dharmavyádha also attained perfection by such performance of their duties.