The Tale of King Shibi Rana: The Great Sacrifice

In the ancient kingdom of Ushinara, there ruled a wise and compassionate king named Shibi Rana. Renowned for his generosity, fairness, and sense of duty, King Shibi was beloved by his people, who looked up to him as a protector and guardian. His fame spread far and wide, even reaching the heavens, where the gods themselves heard of his virtues and decided to test his compassion and commitment to righteousness.

One day, as King Shibi was seated in his court, a frightened dove flew in, seeking refuge. The bird, panting and trembling, landed in the king’s lap, desperately trying to hide. Moments later, a fierce hawk entered the court, its eyes fixed on the dove. The hawk, who was the natural predator of the dove, had chased it in search of food and demanded that the king hand over his rightful prey.

The hawk, with respect but firmness, addressed the king, “O noble king, this dove is my meal, and I am simply pursuing my natural way of life. By granting this dove your protection, you are denying me my food. Please return the dove to me, for I must eat to survive.”

But King Shibi, filled with compassion, replied, “Dear hawk, I understand your need to eat, but this dove has sought refuge with me, and it is my duty to protect those who come under my shelter. I cannot, in good conscience, hand it over to you.”

The hawk persisted, saying, “O king, you are known for your fairness and wisdom. If you protect the dove, I will starve. Would you deny me my right to survive?”

King Shibi thought deeply and then offered a solution. “Hawk, I understand your need for food. I am willing to give you my own flesh in place of the dove, an equal portion to satisfy your hunger. This way, I can fulfill my duty to protect the dove while also honoring your right to survive.”

The hawk agreed to the arrangement, and a balance scale was brought into the court. King Shibi instructed his attendants to place the dove on one side of the scale, while he began cutting pieces of his own flesh and placing them on the other side to balance it. But as he did so, something strange happened. No matter how much flesh he placed on the scale, the dove’s side remained heavier.

Determined to honor his promise, King Shibi continued to cut from his body, enduring the pain with a steadfast heart. Bloodied and weakened, he kept adding flesh to the scale, but the weight would not balance. Finally, realizing that nothing short of his whole self could match the weight of the dove, he climbed onto the scale himself, offering his entire body in sacrifice to fulfill his promise.

In that moment, the dove and the hawk transformed into the gods Agni (the god of fire) and Indra (the king of gods), who had taken these forms to test King Shibi’s devotion to righteousness and compassion. They revealed their true identities and praised the king’s unparalleled dedication to his principles and willingness to sacrifice himself to protect another.

Agni and Indra blessed King Shibi, restoring his health and strength, and proclaimed, “O noble king, your unwavering commitment to dharma (righteousness) and compassion for all beings has earned you a place of honor in the heavens. May your story inspire countless generations to come, for your sacrifice reflects the highest virtue of a true king.”

With these words, the gods vanished, leaving King Shibi and his court in awe of his sacrifice. His people, deeply moved, honored him even more, seeing in him not only a wise ruler but a true protector who valued all life equally.

### Moral:

The story of King Shibi’s sacrifice teaches us about the virtues of compassion, selflessness, and the duty to protect those who seek our help. King Shibi’s willingness to sacrifice himself for the protection of a humble creature shows us the value of placing others’ welfare above our own. The tale reminds us that true strength lies not in power but in the courage to uphold righteousness, even at great personal cost.