Changes

And on being asked the reason for this unbelievable assertion, the mongoose begins to tell the story of [[Annadana by Unchavritti Brahmana (उञ्छवृत्तिब्राह्मणः)]] austere, but generous, brahmana of Kuruksetra. (Maha. Asva. 90.7)  

And on being asked the reason for this unbelievable assertion, the mongoose begins to tell the story of [[Annadana by Unchavritti Brahmana (उञ्छवृत्तिब्राह्मणः)]] austere, but generous, brahmana of Kuruksetra. (Maha. Asva. 90.7)  

=== Kapotadampati ===

=== कपोतदम्पती कथा ॥ Story of Kapotadampati ===

The Mahabharata records another touching story of a host giving up his all, in fact his very life, to satisfy the hunger of the guest. The host in this other story is a bird, a pigeon, and the guest a hunter who has earlier encaged the bird-wife of the pigeon. The story is in a way a premonition of the story that the mongoose tells towards the end of Yudhisthira's asvamedhayajna: the story of the brahmana who gathers his food grain by grain, like a pigeon, and gives up what he has gathered for the sake of a guest, putting his own life and the life of his entire family in jeopardy.  

The Mahabharata records another touching story of a host giving up his all, in fact his very life, to satisfy the hunger of the guest. The host in this other story is a bird, a pigeon, and the guest a hunter who has earlier encaged the bird-wife of the pigeon. The story is in a way a premonition of the story that the mongoose tells towards the end of Yudhisthira's asvamedhayajna: the story of the brahmana who gathers his food grain by grain, like a pigeon, and gives up what he has gathered for the sake of a guest, putting his own life and the life of his entire family in jeopardy.  

The story of the [[Atithi Satkara by Kapotadampati (कपोतदम्पती)]] where a couple of self-sacrificing pigeons offer themselves as food to a hunter, in the apaddharma-parvan of santiparvan, is told to Yudhisthira by Bhishma. Bhishma says that in earlier times it was told to Mucukunda by Parasurama, when the former had sought to know the dharma of looking after one who comes to the abode seeking protection.

Bhishma tells Yudhisthira, the heart rendering story of [[Atithi Satkara by Kapotadampati (कपोतदम्पती)]] where a couple of self-sacrificing pigeons offer hospitality to a hunter, in the apaddharma-parva of santiparva. Bhishma says that in earlier times it was told to Mucukunda by Parasurama, when the former had sought to know the dharma of looking after one who comes to the abode seeking protection.

Such is the foundation of the Bharitya Sanatana culture. This is the difference between western culture and our eternal Sanatan culture.  The reason for poverty and hunger caused by scarcity can be traced to neglecting our civilizational principles. Culture cannot sustain on a hungry stomach. Basic necessities of life and wisdom that shape our life in family life and those who are instrumental in building and sustaining our family, like women, food, and beauty should never be on sale. Anna, Veda and beauty when commodified have dangerous consequences that destroy life and wellbeing. The principles enshrined in our shastras clearly reveal the degradation of ‘modern’ lifestyles due to the disconnect with our traditional systems and  kind of life.

Such is the foundation of the Bharitya Sanatana culture. This is the difference between western culture and our eternal Sanatan culture.  The reason for poverty and hunger caused by scarcity can be traced to neglecting our civilizational principles. Culture cannot sustain on a hungry stomach. Basic necessities of life and wisdom that shape our life in family life and those who are instrumental in building and sustaining our family, like women, food, and beauty should never be on sale. Anna, Veda and beauty when commodified have dangerous consequences that destroy life and wellbeing. The principles enshrined in our shastras clearly reveal the degradation of ‘modern’ lifestyles due to the disconnect with our traditional systems and  kind of life.