Modern Panchatantra story of Rabbit & Tortoise

Once upon a time one Rabbit and one tortoise decided to go for the race. The confident rabbit slept after completing half of the distance. But slowly and steadily the tortoise completed the race. The rabbit wake up and seen the tortoise completed the race.

The lesson here we can learn is laziness and forgetting  goals always causes danger and such persons always watch other persons achieving and reaching the targets.

The story does not end here. The rabbit want to compete again and proposed race between them. This time the rabbit did not stop at any point before the race and completed it much before the tortoise. Tortoise as usually completed the race.

 The lesson here we can learn is learning the lessons from the previous mistakes and rectifying them. It paves the way to success. Here intelligent persons learn the lesson from the mistakes of the others.It is thought to be the best possible way to avoid the mistakes. But as per the Jain tradition, a person who visualizes the possible mistakes during the execution and avoids them or never make the mistakes to happen is the real intelligent person.

The other lesson we can learn is that tortoise completed the race, despite of loosing, reveals that participation is more important than fearing for defeat.

The story does not end here. The tortoise again proposes for the race. But this time it wanted near a water body. The circumference of bund is very long and rabbit has to long way in the way filled with bushes, thorns, etc. But, tortoise can easily pass through the water diagonally with more speed in water than land. Finally, the tortoise won the race.

The lesson we can learn is that one have to create the supporting atmosphere on his own, instead of abusing the defeat and continuing to be in depression. Tortoise has used the technique to get the victory. One has to formulate the strategy for victory on his/her own.

The other lesson we can learn is that we have to create hard track for the opponents, without wasting much time and energies. 

The story does not end here. The tortoise and Rabbit are still in mood of confrontation, strategies to fight against each other. One day one other Rabbit has come from the nearby forest and challenged the rabbit to compete it. In the normal way the success would not be possible as the alien rabbit is strong. So, the native rabbit has requested for the co-operation of tortoise. Tortoise has readily agreed in view of brotherhood of forest. The target is fixed in such a way that half of the race takes place on tank bund and rest on the land. This time the tortoise taken the native rabbit on its back in the water and ran diagonally. The rabbit also helped with thedlu to increase the speed in water .As soon as they reached the land native rabbit has taken tortoise on its back and ran. The tortoise put a stick in its hand to clear off the bushes. The Native Rabbit and Tortoise has won the race with the co-operation. Even the tortoise has won the race on alien rabbit.

The lesson we can learn is Co-operative working always brings happiness. It created the WIN-WIN Situation to the both partners. It brought the confidence though they are weak. It can be also understood that certain people are strong in certain conditions. The head  of the institutions has to reap the fruits given by them. All the heads of offices, projects has to work by encouraging the co-operation and co-ordination between the staff. In absence of the co-ordination, the alien powers dominate us and making the things tiresome for head. In addition to above two qualities, there shall be innovation and its effective implementation  strategy .the Innovation is useless, if it is not implemantable . Effective implementation always paves the way to success.

The story does not stop here. The alien rabbit has again wanted to have a race with the native rabbit and tortoise. The date was fixed. Meanwhile, the alien rabbit has clarified that it would secure first place with new strategy and created the suspicion in the mind of tortoise that soon after reaching the land the native rabbit is going to leave the tortoise to its own fate, to secure at least the second place. The race is started in the same track. The tortoise after reaching 75% of the distance has moved out the rabbit from its back. The rabbit was shocked. None of them has won the race and alien rabbit has won the race. The tortoise was asked the explanation by the rabbit. Soon after realizing the conspiracy, the rabbit has taken a brain storming session for tortoise explaining the advantage of co-operative living.

The lesson we can learn is that alien forces always try to create the suspicion and break the co-operative living. But the natives shall not give any opportunity to aliens. Even if it takes place, it has to be sorted out very soon. India is a country that imparted the co-operated living since ages. It should be followed. Soon after the defeat took place, the rabbit has not worried. But it has searched for the reasons for loss and its rectification measures. The success of any person depends on the way how quickly he is coming out of the depression of loss and taking remedial measures. The Bagavadgita preaches to be a sthithapragna, who is not affected either with loss or victory.

Again the race was called. The date is fixed. The alien Rabbit has decided to hire the services of a dog to threaten the native rabbit and tortoise. Both of them had got the information of intrigue. They also hired the services of one dog. The race was started. On trying to disturb the run of natives by alien team dog, the native dog has successfully protected the natives. This saving has disturbed the mood of the alien rabbit. Finally, the natives had won again.

The lesson we can learn is that the competitors are depending on the strength of the others rather than their own. On failing of conspiracies, it disturbs the mood of competition and lead to failures. It also leads to involvement of others unnecessarily. On the other hand we can learn that we have to keep an eye on the activities of aliens to protect ourselves. The suitable precautionary measures have to be taken up to defeat the ill will of others. Kindness of competitors shall not be the weakness or sound weakness to the enemies. Not doing any harm, when one is capable of doing harm is the true non-violence.

Later the alien rabbit has cunningly hired the service of the lion of its own forest. The information has reached to the native rabbit and tortoise. They approached their king. They got the assurances of king in countering the conspiracy of alien rabbit. When the race was about to start, the lions has entered to attack and counter attack. All the three animals were terrified. But, the lions are in love with each other and threatened the rest of the animals and declared that there shall not be any race between the small animal, due to their incompetence. Also both the lions tried to kill all the animals. The alien rabbit died. But the native rabbit escaped due to the sympathy, as it only approached to king to protect it. The tortoise gets into its shelf and protected itself. When the two lions went away, the animals escaped from there and entered into a new forest. While doing so, these animals befriended with a deer and also taken it to new forest.

The lesson we can learn here is that befriending with superior persons and their excessive involvement is always cause danger. The friendship shall prevail among the equals. The friendship among the equals shall be with a proper reason.

The lesson we can learn is for sake of small wins, one shall not hire the services of the superior persons, who can hijack the total project. When it is inevitable, the fair persons can also approach the superiors to avoid problems. That also stimulates the sympathy. Where as a person who wants to do harm do not get sympathy. In such cases it causes the unbearable troubles devastating the core aim of the project. It also takes the people in to new kind of situations.

The story does not stop here. The native rabbit and tortoise become the alien animals in the new forest. They know the resentment got by the alien. They realized that they should be friendly with the native animals and help them in the worry some conditions. They maintained very good relations with the already existing homogeneous and heterogeneous animals. The rabbit started giving the wise advises to other animals too.

The lesson we can learn is new kind of situation is common and everyone should learn to sustain in such situations by habituating to it. The quickness to habituate in new conditions plays vital role for the success. Most of the people fear or resist habituating to new conditions. A person who accepts or invites the new conditions would be always happy and victorious. The survival of the fittest principle has to be kept in mind always to sustain the new conditions.

The story does not stop here. One native rabbit was envious about the two new animals, more particularly about the rabbit. But the rabbit did not comment the native. While it was in trouble it had helped the native rabbit. The alien rabbit has also respected the local traditions and followed them thoroughly. But the tortoise did not like the local traditions and felt not comfortable with them. Tortoise asked the rabbit for not helping the adumunt native rabbit. But the alien rabbit has explained that we have two or more advantages in helping the native rabbit. One, we are liked by the natives for helping them, two we would be acquainted with the problems  faced by them  and sort them with efficiency, when we face them.

The story does not stop here. The native rabbit started suffering with the inferiority complex and created more number of problems of complaining to the elders, making fun of them, etc. These two animals were worried about the attitude of the native animal.But tortoise does not want to bear the attitude of native rabbit. But the rabbit has consoled and reminded the attitude of the alien rabbit in the previous forest. Rabbit asked tortoise to keep quiet for some more time.

The story does not stop here. The native rabbit had asked the alien rabbit to compete him in the race. The tortoise was very much enthusiastic to repeat the feat of co-operation and to win. But the Alien rabbit has refused to participate in the race and accepted the greatness of the native rabbit. Moreover, the techniques of running were sought from the native rabbit. This kind of attitude was intolerable to the tortoise and questioned why we were not participated in the race though it is known that the native rabbit is weak. The reply was that the victory of us is adjusting to the local conditions and sustaining but not to satisfy our egos by just participating in the races.

The lessons we can learn is to avoid the unnecessary rift with the natives. One does not like or like, the native traditions, culture, uniqueness and greatness have to be recognized and respected. Some religious institutions do the same and get their things done with local people. Some of our friends encourage for the rift but the same has to be avoided in the greater interest. The local conditions have to be known. The people who learnt and understood the local conditions like Arthur Cotton, Charles Phillips Brown, Caldwell and Hymen dwarf were respected by the natives for their immeasurable service. The respect they got in this place is many times more than in their own country.

The family members of the both rabbit and tortoise were on raise in number. As their population was increasing, the respect for both of them was on increase. The rabbit concentrated on the matrimonial relations and got their children wedded with big families. Even the matrimonial relations were executed even from the old habitation. The continued relations brought respect in both the forests for all their family members. The tortoise could not concentrate on the matrimonial relations and confined to the new forest .Over a period of time respect for the rabbit has many folded. The king of the forest has recognized the services of rabbit and made it minister. Rabbit had played vital role in bringing unity between the forests by arranging the matrimonial relations between the animals of both forests. In case any trouble the animals were moving freely to safe places in the forest.

Lesson we can learn here is matrimonial relation has been playing vital role in strengthening the relations with others. Also, the place of the person in the society would be decided on the basis of number of relations he had with others.

The king was advised wisely by the rabbit. Thus, it enjoyed the confidence of the king. In the death vacancy of minister, rabbit requested the king to give it to the tortoise. King has agreed and appointed the tortoise as minister.

Slowly the old age problems have started irritating both the animals. Rabbit has given priority to the health care. Tortoise has asked the reason for the over emphasis on the health. Rabbit explained that Health is Wealth.

The rabbit was on the death bed. All the relatives, friends from the both forests have come. They were enthusiastic to listen to the last words of the rabbit. Rabbit explained that it had always been positive and it was crucial for the success in the life. It had served the animals and animal kingdom to an extent possible. The real prize is relentless service to their dependents. The real satisfaction comes from the voluntary service, without any expectations. The ultimate goal of the life is bliss and self satisfaction. If the materials that earning is not giving satisfaction as in the case of human beings, they are useless. Comfortable and simple life is always better. The person who has the power and does not use it unnecessarily is continued to be in yogic life. If one person wants to be in the status of unconditional happiness, nobody can’t disturb him. Despite of many troubles,he stays happy.Moreover he view every trouble as opportunity.he corrects himself and teach others also.

By saying the above words the rabit was passed away.after some years the tortoise was also passed away.But, the rabits were flourished due to the important lessons taught by the elder rabit.