Ricky was a young raccoon who lived in a forest with his mother and father. He was a curious and adventurous raccoon, always eager to explore new places and learn new things. He loved his parents very much, and they loved him too.
One day, Ricky’s father fell ill. He had a high fever and could not get out of his den. Ricky’s mother was very worried. She tried to find some herbs and fruits that could help him, but nothing seemed to work. She decided to go to the wise owl, who lived on a tall tree near the edge of the forest. She hoped that he would know a cure for her husband’s illness.
She told Ricky to stay with his father and take care of him while she was gone. She also warned him not to wander off too far from the den, as there were many dangers in the forest. Ricky promised to obey her and wished her good luck.
Ricky stayed with his father and tried to make him comfortable. He brought him some water and some nuts to eat. He also told him stories and jokes to cheer him up. His father smiled weakly and thanked him for his kindness.
After a while, Ricky got bored. He wanted to go out and play. He looked out of the den and saw the sun shining brightly. He heard the birds singing and the squirrels chattering. He felt a strong urge to join them. He thought to himself, “Maybe I can go out for a little while. I won’t go too far. I’ll be back before my mother returns. My father won’t mind. He’s sleeping anyway.”
He decided to sneak out of the den and have some fun. He told his father that he was going to get some more water and ran out of the den. He did not notice that his father opened his eyes and watched him go.
Ricky ran through the forest, feeling free and happy. He chased butterflies and dragonflies. He climbed trees and jumped from branch to branch. He dug holes and found worms and beetles. He had a great time.
He soon came across a clearing where he saw a big bush full of ripe, juicy berries. He loved berries. They were his favorite food. He ran towards the bush, licking his lips. He did not see the sign that said “Beware of the hedgehog”.
The hedgehog was the owner of the bush. He had planted it and tended it for many years. He was very proud of his bush and very protective of his berries. He did not like anyone to touch them or eat them. He considered them his property and his right.
He was hiding under the bush, waiting for the berries to ripen. He had a sharp eye and a sharper nose. He saw Ricky coming and smelled his hunger. He was angry and annoyed. He thought to himself, “Who is this intruder? How dare he come to my bush and try to steal my berries? I won’t let him. I’ll teach him a lesson he won’t forget.”
He waited until Ricky was close enough and then jumped out of the bush, showing his spiky quills. He shouted, “Stop! These are my berries. You can’t have them. Go away!”
Ricky was startled and scared. He had never seen a hedgehog before. He did not know what it was or what it could do. He thought it was a strange and ugly creature. He said, “Who are you? What are you? Why are you so mean? These are not your berries. They belong to everyone. They are a gift from nature. I’m hungry and I want some. Please let me have some.”
The hedgehog was offended and furious. He said, “I am a hedgehog. I am the master of this bush. These are my berries. I planted them and I watered them and I pruned them. I worked hard for them. They are not a gift from nature. They are a reward for my labor. You are a thief and a liar. You want to take what is not yours. You are greedy and selfish. You don’t deserve any. You can’t have any. If you try to touch them, I’ll poke you with my quills. Now go away and leave me alone.”
Ricky was hurt and angry. He said, “You are a hedgehog. You are the meanest of all animals. You are rude and cruel. You don’t share what you have. You are stingy and greedy. You don’t care about anyone but yourself. You don’t know what is right and what is wrong. You don’t understand the meaning of Dharma and karma. You don’t know that work done as a sacrifice for Yajña has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, you must perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.”
The hedgehog was confused and curious. He said, “What are you talking about? What is Dharma and karma? What is Yajña? What is sacrifice and satisfaction? What is attachment and bondage? Explain yourself.”
Ricky was surprised and pleased. He saw that the hedgehog was not only mean, but also ignorant. He thought that he could teach him something and maybe change his mind. He said, “Dharma and karma are the laws of the universe. They govern the actions and reactions of all living beings. Dharma is the duty or the purpose of each being. Karma is the result or the consequence of each action. Yajña is the sacrifice or the service of each being to the Supreme Lord, who is the source and the goal of all existence. Kuntī was the mother of the Pāṇḍavas, who were the heroes of the Mahābhārata, the great epic of India. She taught her sons to perform their duties for the sake of Yajña, not for their own desires or attachments. She said that by doing so, they would be free from the bondage of karma, which is the cause of suffering and rebirth in this material world. She said that by doing so, they would please the Supreme Lord, who is the giver of all happiness and liberation.”
The hedgehog was amazed and intrigued. He said, “That sounds very interesting and profound. But how does it apply to me and my bush and my berries? What is my duty and what is my sacrifice? How can I please the Supreme Lord and be free from bondage?”
Ricky was glad and hopeful. He said, “Your duty is to be a good hedgehog and a good neighbor. Your sacrifice is to share your bush and your berries with others who need them. By doing so, you will please the Supreme Lord, who loves all his creatures and wants them to live in harmony. By doing so, you will be free from the bondage of greed and selfishness, which are the sources of misery and unhappiness. You will also create good karma, which will bring you good fortune and blessings in this life and the next.”
The hedgehog was doubtful and skeptical. He said, “That sounds very nice and noble. But how do I know that it is true and not just a trick to make me give up my bush and my berries? How do I know that you are not lying to me and trying to cheat me? How do I know that the Supreme Lord exists and cares for me and my bush and my berries? How do I know that there is a life after this one and that my karma will affect it?”
Ricky was patient and confident. He said, “You can know it by your own experience and by the testimony of the scriptures and the sages. You can know it by your own heart and by the voice of your conscience. You can know it by the signs and the wonders that the Supreme Lord shows to those who trust him and follow him. You can know it by the peace and the joy that you will feel when you do what is right and what is good. You can know it by the love and the gratitude that you will receive from those who benefit from your generosity and kindness. You can know it by the grace and the mercy that you will obtain from the Supreme Lord, who is always ready to forgive and to help those who repent and who seek him.”
The hedgehog was moved and touched. He said, “You speak with such conviction and sincerity. You seem to know what you are talking about. You seem to have a good heart and a good mind. You seem to be a good raccoon and a good friend. Maybe you are right. Maybe I should listen to you and try to do what you say. Maybe I should share my bush and my berries with you and with others. Maybe I should perform my duty as a sacrifice for Yajña. Maybe I should please the Supreme Lord and be free from bondage. Maybe I should change my ways and be a better hedgehog and a better neighbor.”
Ricky smiled and said, “You are very welcome. I’m happy to share my knowledge and my friendship with you. Come, let’s go to the bush and enjoy some berries together. They look delicious and nutritious. They will make us strong and healthy.”
The hedgehog nodded and said, “All right, let’s go. But first, let me ask you something. How did you learn all these things about Dharma and karma, Yajña and Kuntī, sacrifice and satisfaction, attachment and bondage? Who taught you and where did you read them?”
Ricky said, “I learned them from my mother and father. They are very wise and good raccoons. They taught me the stories and the teachings of the Mahābhārata, the Bhagavad-gītā, and other scriptures. They also taught me by their own example and behavior. They always do their duty as raccoons and as parents. They always serve the Supreme Lord and his creation. They always share what they have and help those who are in need. They always remain detached from the fruits of their actions and free from the bondage of karma. They are very happy and peaceful raccoons. They are my role models and my inspiration.”
The hedgehog said, “That’s wonderful. You are very lucky to have such parents. They sound like great raccoons and great teachers. I wish I had parents like them. I never knew my parents. I was orphaned when I was a baby. I had to survive on my own in this forest. That’s why I became so mean and selfish. I had to fight for everything I had. I had to protect myself from everyone. I had no one to love me or teach me. I had no one to guide me or correct me. I had no one to show me the right way or the wrong way. I had no one to tell me about the Supreme Lord or his laws. I had no one to help me understand the meaning of life or the purpose of existence. I was alone and ignorant. I was unhappy and miserable.”
Ricky felt sorry for the hedgehog. He said, “I’m so sorry to hear that. That’s very sad and unfortunate. You must have had a very hard and lonely life. You must have suffered a lot and missed a lot. You must have been very angry and bitter. I can understand why you became the way you did. But you don’t have to be that way anymore. You don’t have to be alone and ignorant. You don’t have to be unhappy and miserable. You don’t have to be mean and selfish. You can change your life and your destiny. You can learn and grow. You can be happy and peaceful. You can be kind and generous. You can be a good hedgehog and a good neighbor. You can be a friend of the Supreme Lord and his creatures. You can be a follower of Dharma and karma. You can be a performer of Yajña and a receiver of his grace. You can be free from bondage and attain liberation. You can do all these things, if you want to. You just have to make a choice and take a step. You just have to open your heart and your mind. You just have to listen and follow. You just have to try and trust. You just have to give and receive. You just have to love and be loved.”
The hedgehog was touched and inspired. He said, “You are very kind and compassionate. You are very wise and good. You are very brave and honest. You are very noble and pure. You are a true friend and a true teacher. You are a blessing and a gift. You are a messenger and a servant of the Supreme Lord. You have shown me the light and the path. You have given me hope and courage. You have offered me love and friendship. You have taught me Dharma and karma. You have invited me to Yajña and grace. You have helped me to change and to grow. You have freed me from bondage and misery. You have made me happy and peaceful. You have made me a better hedgehog and a better neighbor. You have made me a friend of the Supreme Lord and his creatures. You have made me a follower of Dharma and karma. You have made me a performer of Yajña and a receiver of his grace. You have made me free from bondage and ready for liberation. You have done all these things for me, without asking for anything in return. You have done all these things for me, out of your own sacrifice and satisfaction. You have done all these things for me, for the sake of Yajña and the Supreme Lord. You have done all these things for me, and I don’t know how to thank you. You have done all these things for me, and I don’t know how to repay you. You have done all these things for me, and I don’t know how to honor you.”
Ricky said, “You don’t have to thank me or repay me or honor me. You just have to be my friend and my brother. You just have to share your bush and your berries with me and with others. You just have to do your duty as a hedgehog and a neighbor. You just have to serve the Supreme Lord and his creation. You just have to perform your work as a sacrifice for Yajña. You just have to please the Supreme Lord and be free from bondage. You just have to follow Dharma and karma. You just have to do all these things, and you will be happy and peaceful. You will be kind and generous. You will be a good hedgehog and a good neighbor. You will be a friend of the Supreme Lord and his creatures. You will be a follower of Dharma and karma. You will be a performer of Yajña and a receiver of his grace. You will be free from bondage and attain liberation. You will do all these things, and you will be my friend and my brother.”
The hedgehog smiled and said, “I will do all these things, and I will be your friend and your brother. Come, let’s go to the bush and enjoy some berries together. They look delicious and nutritious. They will make us strong and healthy. They will also make us happy and peaceful. They will also make us kind and generous. They will also make us good hedgehogs and good neighbors. They will also make us friends of the Supreme Lord and his creatures. They will also make us followers of Dharma and karma. They will also make us performers of Yajña and receivers of his grace. They will also make us free from bondage and ready for liberation. They will also make us friends and brothers.”
Ricky and the hedgehog went to the bush and ate some berries. They were delicious and nutritious. They made them strong and healthy. They also made them happy and peaceful. They also made them kind and generous. They also made them good hedgehogs and good neighbors. They also made them friends of the Supreme Lord and his creatures. They also made them followers of Dharma and karma. They also made them performers of Yajña and receivers of his grace. They also made them free from bondage and ready for liberation. They also made them friends and brothers.
They ate and talked and laughed and played. They had a wonderful time. They became the best of friends. They decided to live together and share the bush and the berries. They decided to help each other and learn from each other. They decided to serve the Supreme Lord and his creation. They decided to follow Dharma and karma. They decided to perform Yajña and receive his grace. They decided to be free from bondage and attain liberation. They decided to be happy and peaceful. They decided to be kind and generous. They decided to be good hedgehogs and good neighbors. They decided to be friends and brothers.
They lived happily ever after.
The end.
Bhagavad Gita: 3.09
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra
yajña-arthāt—only for the sake of Yajña,; karmaṇaḥ—work done; anyatra—otherwise; lokaḥ—this world; ayam—this; karma-bandhanaḥ—bondage by work; tat—Him; artham—for the sake of; karma—work; kaunteya—O son of Kuntī; mukta-saṅgaḥ—liberated from association; samācara—do it perfectly.
loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya
mukta-saṅgaḥ samācaraWork done as a sacrifice for Yajna has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage.
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