Maharana Pratap

Maharana Pratap

Maharana Pratap was a great king in India around mid 1500's to late 1500's and was considered one of India's greatest heroes. This is one of the stories of the type of his dedication to being at peace with all. One day Maharana eyes became very sore and none of the local doctors' remedies were of any help. So then they put out a reward for anyone who could find the cure to the pain in his eyes. Then in a small village near Mewar there was one hakim that said he knew how to fix Maharana's eyes. So all preparations were made to bring the hakim to Mahrana.  So then the hakim ordered to have a one mixing bowl brought to him. He mixed the medication that he brought into the bowl and then put it on Maharana's eyes every two hours. The hakim told Maharana he'd stay with him until his eyes were better. So as the day progressed his eyes started feeling better. The pain and swelling had gone down by nightfall so Maharana was feeling much better than he had been in a while. So he told his servants that to give the hakim whatever the hakim desired. They gave him his reward and he was on the way back to his village.  Then before the hakhim has reached the outskirts of the city Maharana thought to himself, "The hakhim is quite old and what in the future I have the same problem then what? Let me find out what he used to make my eyes better."  So he had his servants bring the hakhim back He tells the hakhim that while he was grateful for relieving the pain that he had in his eyes he wanted to know the formula he used. So he asked him about what type of medication he used to make his eyes better so if in the future he needed it he could get it.  So then the hakhim said to get one pigeon and to cut it's neck and spill the blood into a bowl.  Then to continuously mix a herb with the blood for 6 hours. Then it will become the same medication that I used to heal your eyes. Once Maharana Pratap heard his whole story was completely shocked. He said Vairaj! What are you saying?! To relieve the pain in my eyes you killed a pigeon? Why didn't you tell me this before applying the medication into my eyes. I am a person who protects all living beings and you killed a pigeon for my well being? I am a accessory to a bird's death! I am disgusted by this I will never use this type of treatment to cure any disease in my life. Please leave from here! Now Maharana Pratap is feeling responsible for the death of the pigeon that lost his life to save his eyes. So then he calls the religious pundits of the kingdom and asks them "I want you to find what the penalty should be for being an accessory to a 5 sensed living being's death. Please open your books and tell me the full penalty for this horrible sin." The pundits open their books and find that Maharana is not in the wrong as he had no idea that the pigeon would be killed nor did he participate in it's killing so he has committed no sin to pay for.  The king told them that there must be something he can do to pay for this as his soul is now disturbed and cannot go without paying for this sin. None of the pundits are able to tell him what he needs to do to pay for the sin. So Maharana decides the penalty himself and says to bring hot liquid oil and that he will drink it to pay for the sin.  He wants to feel the pain the pigeon felt when it's neck was being cut to make the medicine for his eyes.  Many people came and told him no raja you cannot do this. This is not the right thing to do! Raja Pratap was not ready to listen and drank it.