Collect popular tales about-rulers from any one of the following groups of people: the Rajputs, Jats, Sikhs or Marathas.
The Sacred Books of India still preserve traces of Rajput supremacy in might and wisdom, and a few stories from the Scriptures to illustrate this may be collected here. The first is from the Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad; it is as follows:(1)
There was a certain Gargya Balaki, learned in the holy Vedas. He dwelt among the Matsyas, the Kurus, and the Videha. This Brahman, coming once to Raja Ajatasatru, a royal Rajput, addressed him thus: "Let me declare to the divine knowledge, oh king!" The king replied, "We bestow a thousand cows on thee, oh Brahman, for this word of thine." The Brahman, deeply versed in the Vedas, then expounded the doctrines of his religion. But though the Brahman was wise, the Rajput king was wiser than he; and in all things, it was seen that the sacred wisdom of the Rajput was greater than the love of the Brahman. Finally, the royal Rajput Ajatasatru, perceiving himself to be wiser, thus addressed the Brahman: "Dost thou know only so much, oh Balaki?" "Only so much," he replied. The king rejoined, "Thou hast vainly proposed to me; let me teach thee divine knowledge."
Then the Son of Balaka approached the king with fuel in his hand and said, "Let me attend thee as thy pupil." The king replied, "Contrary to rule is it that a Kshatriya should initiate a Brahman in divine knowledge; nevertheless, approach, I will make them know the divine wisdom." The King, taking him by the hand, departed.
The Sacred Books of India still preserve traces of Rajput supremacy in might and wisdom, and a few stories from the Scriptures to illustrate this may be collected here. The first is from the Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad; it is as follows:(1)
There was a certain Gargya Balaki, learned in the holy Vedas. He dwelt among the Matsyas, the Kurus, and the Videha. This Brahman, coming once to Raja Ajatasatru, a royal Rajput, addressed him thus: "Let me declare to the divine knowledge, oh king!" The king replied, "We bestow a thousand cows on thee, oh Brahman, for this word of thine." The Brahman, deeply versed in the Vedas, then expounded the doctrines of his religion. But though the Brahman was wise, the Rajput king was wiser than he; and in all things, it was seen that the sacred wisdom of the Rajput was greater than the love of the Brahman. Finally, the royal Rajput Ajatasatru, perceiving himself to be wiser, thus addressed the Brahman: "Dost thou know only so much, oh Balaki?" "Only so much," he replied. The king rejoined, "Thou hast vainly proposed to me; let me teach thee divine knowledge."
Then the Son of Balaka approached the king with fuel in his hand and said, "Let me attend thee as thy pupil." The king replied, "Contrary to rule is it that a Kshatriya should initiate a Brahman in divine knowledge; nevertheless, approach, I will make them know the divine wisdom." The King, taking him by the hand, departed.
