Duryodhana takes the help of Kalinga to get rid of Dhritarashtra’s affection for the Pandavas, said V.S.Karunakarachariar in a discourse. Kalinga tells Dhritarashtra a story. In a forest there was a clever fox, who sought the help of a tiger, a rat, a wolf and a mongoose to kill a lion. The rat was to bite the lion when the latter was asleep. With the lion in pain, killing it would be easy for the tiger. All five friends would then feast on the lion’s flesh.
The fox’s plan worked, and the tiger killed the lion. The fox then told the other animals that they should bathe before eating the meat, while the fox stood guard over the dead lion.
The tiger was the first to return, and the fox said, “The rat was here and said, ‘If not for my biting the lion, would the tiger have been able to kill it? Does this tiger deserve to be treated with respect?’ The rat’s words about you upset me.” The tiger felt that it would be a disgrace to eat the lion, for the killing of which a mere rat took credit. So, the tiger left. The rat arrived next. The fox said,” The mongoose was here just now and said that your bite would have poisoned the meat. It also wanted to hurt you. How could I allow a friend to be hurt?” The frightened rat ran into its hole. To the wolf, the fox said: “The tiger wanted to kill you, because you apparently doubted his strength.” The wolf ran away. To the mongoose, the fox said, “I fought the tiger and wolf and they ran off in fear. Let us fight. If you win, you can have the meat.” The mongoose felt that he stood no chance, and went away.
Kalinga says that the moral of the story is that Dhritarashtra must give up his affection for the Pandavas, and resort to every means possible to safeguard the kingdom for his sons.
