Sadhguru sat under a large Pipul tree in the Shree Siddhashram where Maha Saraswati Idol was inside the Pipul Tree like a cave. His eyes closed in quiet contemplation, his face serene, yet filled with an energy that vibrated with the wisdom of ancient times. Around him gathered a small group of disciples, eager to hear his words, seeking not just answers but transformation.
Article | January 11, 2023
Today, one of them asked, “Sadhguru, could you narrate a story from the Panchatantra that holds spiritual significance? Something that not only teaches us about life but also reflects the higher truths of existence.”
Sadhguru: Sadhguru opened his eyes slowly, the intensity of his gaze seeming to pierce through layers of illusion and ignorance. “The stories of Panchatantra,” he began, “are not merely tales for the entertainment of the mind. They are windows into the profound wisdom of life, wrapped in simplicity. Let me share one such story with you, but remember, the key to understanding lies not just in the story, but in how you internalize it.”
The Crane and the Crab
Once upon a time, in a land of deep forests and tranquil lakes, there lived a Crane who was well past his prime. His feathers had lost their sheen, his eyesight was fading, and he was no longer agile enough to catch fish as he once did in his youth. He lived near a large pond filled with fish, but his weakening body made it hard for him to hunt, and he began to starve.
Desperate for food, the old Crane hatched a plan. He perched himself at the edge of the pond, looking sorrowful and dejected. When the fish noticed this, they gathered around and asked, “Crane, why do you look so miserable?”
The Crane sighed deeply and replied, “I have heard terrible news. Soon, this pond will dry up, and you will all perish. The drought is coming, and there will be no water left. I feel sorrow for you, for I can fly away to another pond, but you, dear fish, will be left behind to die.”
The fish were alarmed. “What shall we do? Is there any way to escape this terrible fate?” they asked.
The Crane, seeing their fear, smiled inwardly but kept his face solemn. “There is one way,” he said slowly. “There is another pond not far from here, still full of water and abundant in life. I can carry you there one by one in my beak.”
The fish, naïve and trusting, agreed. Every day, the Crane would take one fish in his beak, pretending to transport them to the nearby pond. However, instead of saving the fish, he flew to a deserted rock, where he devoured them one by one. His plan worked well, and soon his belly was full.
One day, a wise Crab who lived in the same pond approached the Crane and asked if he could be taken to the new pond as well. The Crane, delighted at the thought of such a tasty meal, agreed. But the Crab, being suspicious, asked to be carried on the Crane’s back instead of in his beak.
As they flew, the Crab noticed that the Crane was not heading toward a pond but toward the same desolate rock. Realizing the Crane’s treachery, the Crab used his sharp claws to grab the Crane’s neck and strangle him. The Crane struggled, but the Crab’s grip was tight, and soon the Crane was dead.
The Crab then returned to the pond and warned the fish of the Crane’s deceit, saving the remaining inhabitants of the pond.
Deceit may satisfy the ego's hunger momentarily, but it is wisdom and discernment that feed the soul's true need for freedom.
The Moral of the Story
The Crane’s cunning plan ultimately led to his own demise. His greed and deception destroyed him, while the wise Crab, by staying alert and using his discernment, not only saved himself but also protected the rest of the fish.
The moral of this story is: Deceit may yield short-term gains, but ultimately, it leads to self-destruction. Only wisdom and discernment bring true safety and lasting peace.
Spiritual Explanation by Sadhguru
After finishing the tale, Sadhguru paused, letting the weight of the story sink in. The disciples sat silently, absorbing the story’s surface meaning, but they knew their Guru would soon reveal the deeper essence hidden beneath the fable.
Sadhguru began to speak, his voice calm and resonant. “The Panchatantra stories are filled with moral lessons that apply to our everyday lives, but their true value lies in the deeper spiritual truths they point toward. Let us explore this story from that vantage point.”
“The Crane in this story represents the mind – clever, cunning, and often driven by desire. When we are guided purely by the mind, we tend to become deceitful, not just with others but with ourselves. The mind, in its hunger for temporary satisfaction, will craft intricate schemes to fulfil its desires, even if it means causing harm.”
“In our spiritual journey, the Crane symbolizes the egoic tendencies that create illusions. The mind tells you, ‘I can satisfy my hunger for security, pleasure, or success by manipulating circumstances and people.’ But what happens? Just like the Crane, the more we feed these egoic desires, the more entangled we become. Eventually, the same mind that sought to deceive the world ends up trapped in its web of illusions. This is self-destruction.”
In the spiritual journey, the ego is like the Crane—always scheming, always hungry; only awareness can strangle its hold on us.
The disciples listened intently as Sadhguru continued, his voice unwavering. “Now, let us look at the fish. They represent the innocent, unconscious aspects of ourselves – the parts of us that are easily deceived by the mind’s schemes. Most of us are like those fish, living in ignorance, trusting the mind to guide us, but without awareness, we are led into traps. The fish’s lack of discernment caused them to believe the Crane’s lies and led to their destruction.”
“But then, there is the Crab,” he said, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. “The Crab is the symbol of awareness, discernment, and inner strength. It is the awakened soul, the individual who has cultivated enough awareness to recognize the mind’s deceit. The Crab knew something was not right, and instead of passively following the mind’s promises, it questioned, observed, and remained vigilant.”
Sadhguru smiled and added, “When you awaken the Crab within you, you develop the power to overcome the mind’s tricks. It is this inner discernment that allows you to ‘strangle’ the ego’s desires and illusions, just as the Crab strangled the Crane. Only through awareness can we transcend the lower tendencies of the mind.”
True freedom lies not in fulfilling the desires of the ego, but in transcending the very hunger that binds us to illusion.
One of the disciples raised his hand and asked, “But Sadhguru, how do we cultivate this awareness in everyday life?”
Sadhguru: “Awareness comes from living consciously, from mindfulness. In every action, whether you are speaking, eating, or thinking, observe the mind’s tendencies. Is the mind acting out of greed, fear, or desire? Is it creating unnecessary drama or illusion? When you begin to watch the mind as a witness, you start to see through its deceptions. This is the birth of true awareness.”
He then paused for a moment, letting his words resonate. “This story also points to a deeper truth about karma. The Crane, in his greed, created a chain of actions that brought about his own destruction. Karma is not about past-life memories or memories of good actions or bad actions. This is not only punishment but about the consequences of our actions. When we act out of deceit or ego, those actions come back to us, just as the Crane’s actions led to his death.”
“One who is spiritually aware, like the Crab, acts with wisdom and caution. Such a person knows that every action creates ripples in the fabric of life. When we act with mindfulness, when we operate from a place of selflessness and compassion, every action goes in line with the Universe.
Awareness is the sharp claw of the awakened soul, cutting through the fabric of illusion woven by the mind.
Lessons for the Spiritual Seeker
Sadhguru concluded the story by offering a few key takeaways for his disciples:
Discernment is the Key: Just as the Crab discerned the Crane’s treachery, the spiritual seeker must cultivate discernment. Don’t blindly trust your mind or ego. Question, observe, and act only from a place of awareness.
Awareness Transcends Illusion: The mind is full of tricks, but when you develop awareness, you can see through them. When you become the observer, you no longer get trapped by the mind’s desires.
Consequence of Action: The Crane’s actions led to his destruction. Similarly, every action you take has consequences. Spiritual awareness helps you act in alignment with truth.
True Liberation Lies Beyond the Ego: The Crane represents the ego’s constant hunger for more. The path to liberation involves transcending this hunger. When you become aware of the ego’s tricks and step beyond them, you experience freedom.
Wisdom Protects the Self: Like the Crab, when you cultivate wisdom, you protect yourself from harm. The greatest harm is self-deception, and the greatest protection is self-awareness.
The mind spins webs of deceit to fulfill its desires, but the soul thrives only in the light of pure, unclouded awareness.
Epilogue
The disciples bowed in reverence, understanding that the story they had heard was not just a tale of a bird and a crab, but a reflection of their inner journey. The path of spirituality is not merely about following rules or rituals, but about cultivating the awareness to see through the illusions created by the mind.
As they rose to leave, Sadhguru’s final words echoed in their minds, “You are both the Crane and the Crab. The mind deceives, but the soul discerns. Choose awareness, and you will rise beyond the illusions of the mind.”
And thus, they walked away, carrying with them not just a story, but a profound spiritual lesson that would stay with them forever.
