Long ago, there lived a king named Nriga.
He was known throughout the land for his generosity.
Every day, he donated cows, food, land, and wealth to those in need.
People praised him as one of the most charitable rulers of his time.
One day, King Nriga gifted a beautiful cow to a worthy Brahmana.
The Brahmana happily took the cow home.
But a few days later, the cow wandered away and unknowingly returned to the king’s vast royal herd.
No one noticed.
Some time later, King Nriga donated cows again. Without realizing that the same cow had returned, he gifted it to another Brahmana.
Soon, the first Brahmana saw the cow and recognized it immediately.
“That is my cow,” he said.
“No,” replied the second Brahmana. “The king himself gifted it to me.”
The dispute reached King Nriga.
As soon as he understood what had happened, he tried to make things right.
“It was an honest mistake,” said the king. “Please forgive me. I shall give each of you many more cows than this one.”
But neither Brahmana agreed.
One wanted the cow he had first received.
The other wanted the cow that had been gifted to him by the king.
Despite all of King Nriga’s efforts, the dispute remained unresolved.
Years passed.
When King Nriga left the world, he was judged not for his generosity, but for the unintended mistake that had never been fully corrected.
As a result of that unresolved action, he was reborn as a giant lizard trapped inside an old dry well.
There he remained for a long time.
One day, Lord Krishna came upon the well.
Seeing the suffering creature, Krishna touched him with compassion.
At once, the curse was lifted.
King Nriga regained his celestial form and bowed before Krishna with gratitude.
Before departing, he shared a lesson for all humanity:
“Good intentions are important, but they are not enough. We must also be careful and responsible. Even a small mistake can create suffering when another person’s rights are affected.”
And so, the story of King Nriga reminds us that dharmaTransliteration: धर्म / Dharma
Meaning / Explanation: That which upholds, sustains, and maintains cosmic and social order. Includes duty, righteousness, natural law, and inner truth.
Origin: Sanskrit (from root dhṛ — “to hold, support”)
Note: Dharma is contextual — it changes with role, time, and stage of life. More is not only about doing good.
It is also about ensuring that our actions, however well-intentioned, do not leave injustice behind.
Moral of the Tale
Charity earns merit, but responsibility protects dharmaTransliteration: धर्म / Dharma
Meaning / Explanation: That which upholds, sustains, and maintains cosmic and social order. Includes duty, righteousness, natural law, and inner truth.
Origin: Sanskrit (from root dhṛ — “to hold, support”)
Note: Dharma is contextual — it changes with role, time, and stage of life. More.
Even an unintended mistake should be corrected with sincerity, care, and attention.
