3.14 Panchtantra - The War of Crows and Owls

In the city of Mahilaropyam, there was a huge Banyan tree.

The banyan tree was nested by a community of crows. Their king was Meghavarana.

Near the banyan tree, there was a cave. It was dwelled by an owl community, whose king was Arimaradana.

The owls and the crowd were enemies. Every night the owls circled around the banyan tree. They attacked the crows and killed them. Over a period of time, many crows died and the grieving subjects went to their king.

King Meghavarana had a council of ministers - Ujjeevi, Sanjeevi, Anujjevi, Prajeevi and Chiranjeevi. He called them and said, 'We all are aware that the owls have been attacking our people during night and mercilessly killing them. We cannot see in dark and cannot attack them during day time as are unaware of their stronghold. The situation is grave and requires immediate attention. I seek your respective advise on the matter'.

Each of the ministers gave king a different advice. Ujjeevi said, 'Majesty, the enemy us shrewd and strong. I suggest we should make a peace pact with them'

Sanjeevi added, 'The owls are not only strong, but they are wicked and by no means understand the war ethics. A peace pact with them is unmeaningful as they will never follow it. I suggest that we should fight to gain advantage over them'.

Anujjevi reasoned, 'The enemy plays well to its strengths. If we make peace pact they will dishonor it and if we fight we are likely to loose. Therefore, my majesty I suggested that we retreat to a safer place'.

Prajeevi however countered Anujjevi and reasoned, 'If we flee from this place, we will never be able to return here. I advise that we all should entrench here'.

Chiranjeevi said, 'We have friends in the near forest. We can seek their advice and help to defeat the owls'.

The king of crows was unsatisfied with the suggestions of his ministers. Therefore he approached Chiranjeevi, who was an old trusted minister of the king's father.

The king said, 'Respectful Sthirajeevi ! The situation around here is grave. I cannot let my innocent people die in hands of enemy. O wise man! Please suggest what should we do'.

Sthirajeevi was very wise. He said, 'King, your ministers gave you suggestions in accordance with the principles laid by the Niti Shasta’s (book of strategies). Their suggestions are good. But the situation here requires a different approach. It requires strategic thinking and maneuver, as your enemy is both powerful and deceitful. Therefore, I suggest that you take some of your trustworthy men as spies and send them to find the weak points in owls. This strategy will help you plan your further course of action. You will get a direction to think ahead, focus and act'.

Sthirajeevi continued, 'Now think. If you can deploy the spying tactics, so can the enemy. Further, start pretending that I am a traitor. Treat me badly to make the owls believe that I am your enemy. This strategy will mislead the owl's spies. Then fly to Rshyamukam mountain with your people and entrench there. I will reach there later'.

Sthirajeevi explained the further plan to the king,' I shall go to see the owls and gain their confidence. I shall understand their weaknesses and later come to you with the information. We can plan together and strike them. I insist that you don't worry about me. I shall take care of myself'.

The king followed Sthirajeevi's plan. He started fighting bitterly with Sthirajeevi and smeared blood on him. Then he jerked the old crow down from the banyan tree. Following this, the king asked all the crows to follow him. The flock flew to Rshyamukam Mountain and entrenched there. They waited for Sthirajeevi as it was planned.

The owl-spies who saw the fight between Sthirajeevi and Meghavarana immediately flew to the cave and informed Arimaradana. Hearing this, Arimaradana decided to attack the crows in night.

That night, the owls flew to the banyan tree to attack the crows. Much to their surprise and disappointment, they found that the crows had left the tree.

The rebellious owls started investigating the direction in which the crows flew away.

Sthirajeevi who had been waiting for the right moment, began to caw in an attempt to draw the owl's attention. He caught Arimaradana attention who came to ask him how he was hurt and what made him so feeble. Now Sthirajeevi began his diplomatic drama. He starting cursing

Meghavarana and at the same time he praised Arimaradana for his strength and wisdom. He said, 'I am too weak to fly. I know where they have entrenched. Once I get well, I shall take you there'.

Arimaradana had a council of five ministers -  Raktaksha, Kriuraksha, Deeptaksha, Vakranasa, and Prakarakarna. The council was divided over trusting Sthirajeevi - Raktaksha and Kriuraksha suspected him and wanted to kill him, the others in the council opined that Sthirajeevi was a wise old crow who knew where the flock had entrenched.

But Arimaradana trusted Sthirajeevi. He took the old owl to their cave.

In the cave, Sthirajeevi pretended to be feeble, but requested the owl king to allow him to make a nest at the cave entrance. He reasoned that he belonged to the enemy clan and didn't intended to offend other owls.

Arimaradana was kind and considerate towards the old crow. He asked his attendants to take care of their guest. Sthirajeevi was given the food of his liking and soon he recovered. He often thanked and praised the owl king for his benevolence.

The owl's council, Raktaksha was a scholar in scriptures. He was in disbelief and kept warning the king about Sthirajeevi's intentions. But the king was carried away by Sthirajeevi's flattery. He trusted that the old crow would take them to the crow's place of entrenchment. So, one day the unheeded Raktaksha left the cave with some of his followers.

All these days, Sthirajeevi was quietly working to gather twigs at the entrance of cave. He pretended to build and amend the nest now and then. He was happy to see Raktaksha leaving and one day, when the owls were resting during the hot afternoon, he flew to the Rshyamukam Mountain.

There Sthirajeevi asked the king Meghavarana and his followers to follow him to the owl's cave with burning woods held in their beaks. The crows did as they were asked to do.

The crows dropped the pieces of burning wood at the entrance of cave where large heap of dry leaves and firewood was erected by the old crow.

The woods caught fire. The fire escaped in the cave and the owls were suffocated. The owls died and the crows returned to their home on the banyan tree. They lived fearlessly and happily thereafter.

Moral: Never trust your enemies in any face.