The King of Gauda (Bengal) kingdom, Kripana Narasimha (lion of a man, wielding a sword) was a very powerful King. A large disciplined army, well equipped with chariots, horses and elephants, etc. proclaimed his supremacy over other kings. His commander-in- chief was a brave and dynamic person called Sarabha Bherunda (quick and terrible). He was so powerful that he used to wield his influence even over the king and the ministers.
As months and years passed by, the army chief thought to himself: 'Why not put the king in prison and assume power for myself?'. He did not act immediately on his impulse, but the thought kept smouldering in his mind. Thus some months and years passed by. Unfortunately, as destiny would have it, the army chief contracted the deadly disease of small pox and died.
He took the leaf and found that something was written on it. The letters had almost worn out, and with some difficulty the king read out aloud what seemed like sloka:
"Dwandair-Vimuktah Sukha Dukha Samjnair Gachhanty-Amudha Padamavyayam Tat"
Suddenly the horse fell down and lay still. Within moments was dead.
The king thought that the horse had perhaps fainted. He removed the saddle and stirrups from its body and tried to revive in various ways. Nothing worked.
A celestial vehicle alighted there. The soul of the horse was welcomed into it, and it rose to the heavens. The king was astonished to see the incident.
He murmured to himself: 'This horse might have been a pious soul".
He left the corpse of the horse there and walked away. He called out loudly to his team and soldiers. No response greeted him except the echo from the depths of the forest. The king wandered through the forest, tired and dejected.
While thus wandering, he chanced to reach an Ashram, surrounded by fruit-bearing trees with flocks of birds and animals. He met the Sanyasin of the Ashram and paid his respects to him. After quenching his thirst and hunger, the king told the Sanyasin about his horse and its death. He asked the Sanyasin about the secret of the horse's fortune and its ascent to the higher worlds in the celestial vehicle. The Sanyasin sat in meditation for a while. He saw in his mind the entire life of the horse and its previous births. He told the king: "O King! That horse was the commander of your armed forces in its previous birth. He died of small pox when he was entertaining traitorous thoughts of overthrowing you and assuming power for himself. Because of his evil thoughts, he was born as an animal, a horse. He served you well in his new birth and behaved faithfully till his last moment. When he was nearing his death, you happened to get the piece of palm leaf which came flying in air, and read out aloud a portion of the sloka written on it. That sloka was from the fifteenth chapter of the Geeta. That palm leaf was discarded by my disciple, who had copied the fifteenth chapter on palm leaves and memorised it. By merely listening to a portion of a sloka of the fifteenth chapter, your horse was liberated from the hordes of sins committed by it in its previous births."
"Revered Sir," said the king. "If that is so, I too would like to study the fifteenth chapter of the Geeta. Please teach me the Bhagawad Geeta and especially the fifteenth chapter. May I too get liberated."
'I shall be glad to teach you", said the Sanyasin. "You can contemplate upon and practise the teachings of the Geeta even while you remain in the palace and attend to the affairs of the state."
The Sanyasin imparted the teachings of the Geeta to the king and taught him specially the fifteenth chapter. Thereafter, he led him out of the forest and put him on the road leading to the countryside.
The king chanted the fifteenth chapter of the Geeta regularly and attended to all the affairs of the state efficiently. In due course, he coronated his son Simhabala as the king and retired from active outside work and took to a life of deeper study and contemplation. He became a man of perfection even while living and ultimately cached the higher worlds
On account of the various acts of violence committed and the traitorous thought of overthrowing the king entertained by him, he was born as a horse in the kingdom of Sind.
It was a healthy and energetic horse, always kicking up dust b its hooves and charging forward. It had all the characteristics of good well-bred horse. A trader purchased it and presented before the king of Gauda Kingdom, Kripana Narasimha, who hat grown old by that time.
"Well bred horse!" said the king stroking the animal, "Where did you purchase it from?"
"From Sind, please look at its features. They are perfect" said the trader.
"Fine! On the whole it looks like a good one endowed with perfect features." They all agreed, even recommended strongly that the king should purchase the horse. The horse also seemed to have a particular attachment to the king.
The king was pleased and gave a purse of gold coins to the trader, a price which was more than what he expected for the horse.
The trader bowed low to the king and withdrew.
The horse was entrusted to the chief trainer of the king's army.
Years rolled by.
The horse was deployed in a number of battles. It behaved so well in the battlefields that it became the object of the king's special affection. He took special care of the horse.
One day the king ordered a grand hunting expedition. He rode his faithful horse and entered the forests leading the hunting team.
In the depths of the forest, the king saw a herd of deer faraway in an opening, and galloped towards it through the thick woods. Noticing that the King was getting isolated from the team, the soldiers sounded warning notes and coded calls to others to keep track of the king. But the horse had run so fast that the king had already covered a great distance, and was beyond their sight.
The herd of deer scattered and ran helter-skelter and the king pursued them. Soon he realised that he had been isolated from the team. He stopped the horse and got down. The strain of hunting had left the king and the horse tired and thirsty. The horse was panting for breath. The king went around that place in search of water, but of no avail.
The horse was getting restless due to exhaustion and thirst. It was neighing in a pitiable voice. The king stroked it in a bid to comfort it. He looked around helplessly.
A strong wind started blowing. Dry leaves, twigs and dust flew in the air. Amongst the dry leaves that blew over the king, a piece of palm leaf attracted the king's attention.
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