Extra Credit Reading, Week 10

PASHU Animal Tales from Hindu Mythology
By: Devdutt Pattanaik

Jaimini

This story takes place during the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas at Kurukshetra. During this war, there is a parrot that flies over the battle. When an arrow from the war flies up and strikes its pregnant belly, four eggs fall from the belly and onto the ground. Thankfully the ground was soft and wet so the eggs do not break and the birds inside are safe. One of the elephants in the war was wearing a bell and as it passes, the bell falls from its neck and drops on top of the eggs. This shields the eggs from any danger. Since the eggs are protected, they eventually hatch and four baby parrots are left. These parrots are found by sages who have come to clear the battlefield. They realized how lucky it was that they survived but also knew all of the vast knowledge they had gained while listening amongst the war. They gave the birds the gift of human speech so that they could go and share their knowledge with the rest of the world. This would eventually be called the Jaimini Mahabharata.