A Loving Pair in the Forest
Deep within a tranquil forest lived a pair of pigeons, a male and a female, who were deeply devoted to each other. They had built their nest in the hollow of a large tree. Their days were spent flying together, searching for food, and returning to their cozy home. Their love was simple and innocent, and soon they were blessed with eggs, which hatched into little chicks.
The mother and father pigeons were overjoyed and spent their time gathering food and caring for their babies with affectionate attention. The family was peaceful, nestled in the shelter of the tree, unaware of the lurking dangers of the world beyond.
The Arrival of the Hunter
One day, a fowler (hunter) entered the forest, looking for prey. He spotted the nest high up in the tree and devised a plan. He laid a net near the tree and sprinkled grains to attract the pigeons.
While the father pigeon was away looking for food, the mother pigeon flew down to gather some of the scattered grains for her chicks. Unaware of the hunter’s trap, she stepped into the net and was immediately captured.
The Pain of Separation
When the father pigeon returned and saw his dear mate caught in the net, he was shocked and overcome with grief. He cried out in lamentation and flew around the trap helplessly. Seeing her suffering, his heart broke.
The female pigeon, though in pain, said, “My dear, this is the result of our strong attachment. We have loved each other and our children, but we never remembered the Lord. Now, destiny has taken its turn.”
Unable to bear the sight of her suffering, the male pigeon descended, not out of foolishness, but out of a deep sense of helpless love. The hunter seized him too.
Caught in the Trap of Māyā
The hunter was now pleased—he had caught not just one, but both pigeons. As he wrapped them in his bag, the baby birds in the nest cried out for their mother and father. The hunter then climbed the tree and captured them as well.
Thus, the entire pigeon family, bound by mutual attachment, was captured and taken away, their peaceful life shattered by fate.
The Message of Renunciation
The Padma Purāṇa explains that this story is not just about birds, but about all living beings who become entangled in worldly attachments—to family, to possessions, to temporary pleasures. These attachments, though natural, become dangerous when they divert the soul from remembering its eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord.
Without cultivating spiritual awareness and detachment, one remains bound in the net of saṁsāra—the endless cycle of birth and death.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Excessive attachment, even to loved ones, can trap us in material suffering.
- The world is like a hunter’s forest, filled with traps of illusion (māyā).
- The only way to escape these traps is to take shelter of the Lord and cultivate detachment with devotion.
- As taught in the Padma Purāṇa: “tyajed ekaṁ kulasyārthe grāmasyārthe kulaṁ tyajet / grāmaṁ janapadasyārthe ātmārthe pṛthivīṁ tyajet”
“One should be ready to sacrifice a member for the sake of the family, the family for the village, the village for the nation, and everything—even the world—for the sake of the soul.”
Origin of the Story: Padma Purāṇa – An allegorical tale illustrating the dangers of worldly attachment and the importance of spiritual awareness.
