The Illustrated Jataka : Other Stories of the Buddha by C.B. Varma
059 - The Naive House-Holder / निश्छल गृहस्थ 

काशी नगरी के पास के गाँव में एक बार भयंकर बाढ़ आई और गाँव वालों की फसल बहा ले गयी। तब गाँव वाले सहायता के लिए गाँव के मुखिया के पास पहुँचे। मुखिया ने उन्हें बैल ॠण में दिया और कहा कि जब उनके मक्के आदि की फसल कटेगी तो वे अपने फसल का कुछ भाग उसे दे अपना ॠण चुका दें।

उसी गाँव में एक सीधा-सादा गृहस्थ भी रहता था। उसकी पत्नी पतिव्रता नहीं थी। उन दिनों उसके सम्बन्ध गाँव के मुखिया के साथ थे। जब उस गृहस्थ के कानों में पत्नी के अवैध संबंध की चर्चा पड़ी तो उसने सत्य जानने के लिए एक युक्ति लगाई। एक दिन उसने अपनी पत्नी से कहा कि वह कुछ दिनों के लिए गाँव के बाहर कुछ कार्य के लिए जाएगा। दूसरे दिन वह यात्रा के सामान के साथ गाँव के बाहर निकल गया। फिर कुछ ही घंटों में वापिस लौट आया।

उस समय उसके घर पर उसकी पत्नी और गाँव का मुखिया रंगरेलियाँ मना रहे थे। पति को लौटा देख उसकी पत्नी ने सत्य छुपाने के लिए मुखिया को एक युक्ति बताई और दौड़ती हुई धान्यागार के एक कोट में खड़ी हो गई।

जब उस गृहस्थ ने घर के अंदर प्रवेश किया तो उसने उस समय मुखिया को यह कहते सुना, " दे दे मेरा बैल या चुका दे ॠण।" और औरत कह रही थी, " कोट में कोई धान नहीं है। मैं ॠण नहीं चुका सकती।" गृहस्थ ने सारी बातें समझ लीं। उसने मुखिया की अच्छी पिटाई की। फिर वह अपनी पत्नी को एक कड़ी चेतावनी दे उसे माफी का एक अवसर भी प्रदान किया। उसके रौद्र रुप को देख उसकी पत्नी सुधर गयी।

O nce, a gentle house-holder lived in Kashi. At that time the heavy rain-pour carried away all the grains; and there was famine in the village. So, the villagers along with the house-holder went to the local headman and asked him for some help. The headman gave them an ox in loan against the agreement that the repayment shall be made within two months when the maize crop would mature.

The wife of the house-holder was a woman of lesser virtue. She was having an affair with the village headman. The nave householder, somehow, came to know that his wife was not faithful. So, one day, he told his wife that he was going abroad and left his house. The head-man, who looked for such an opportunity immediately sneaked into the house-holders residence. But when the woman and the headman were having a good time, the householder returned to the surprise of the two mates.

The headman, in particular was scared at his appearance. But the woman soothed her by saying that there was nothing to bother as she had a plan to deceive her nave husband; and they hurriedly acted accordingly.

When the householder entered the house he saw the headman standing in the middle of the house. He was pretending to shout at his wife, return my ox or its price. The wife, who was standing on the garner to pretend as if she was guarding it, shouted back, We have no rice in the granary and we cant pay you. The man immediately knew what was being cooked there, because neither the headman was supposed to ask for the repayment of the loan before the expiry of two months; nor was there any grain in the garner for his wife to guard.

So, he first grabbed the headman by his hair and kept on hitting him until he fainted. Next, he turned to his wife and caught hold of her and gave her a stern warning to stop acting like a bitch.

Since then, neither the headman ever dared to look at householders residence; nor his wife dared to transgress.

The house holder (extreme right) questioning the headman (left); and his wife sitting in the garner. Bharhut

 

See Gahapati Jataka Jataka Pali No. 199.

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