"Yudhishthira said, 'O grandsire, O thou of great wisdom, O thou that are
conversant with every kind of scripture, tell me what the merit is of one
who cherishes a suppliant that craves for protection.'

"Bhishma said, 'Great is the merit, O monarch, in cherishing a suppliant.
Thou art worthy, O best of the Bharatas, of asking such a question. Those
high-souled kings of old, viz., Sivi and others, O king, attained to
great bliss in heaven by having protected suppliants. It is heard that a
pigeon received with respect a suppliant foe according to due rites and
even fed him with his own flesh.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'How, indeed, did a pigeon in days of old feed a
suppliant foe with his own flesh? What also was the end, O Bharata, that
he won by such conduct?'

"Bhishma said, 'Listen, O king, to this excellent story that cleanses the
hearer of every sin, the story, viz., that Bhrigu's son (Rama) had
recited to king Muchukunda. This very question, O son of Pritha had been
put to Bhrigu's son by Muchukunda with due humility. Unto him desirous of
listening with humility the son of Bhrigu narrated this story of how a
pigeon, O monarch, won success (entitling him to the highest heavenly
bliss).'

"The sage said, 'O mighty-armed monarch, listen to me as I narrate to
thee this story that is fraught with truths connected with Virtue,
Profit, and Pleasure. A wicked and terrible fowler, resembling the
Destroyer himself, used in days of old to wander through the great
forest. He was black as a raven and his eyes were of a bloody hue. He
looked like Yama himself. His legs were long, his feet short, his mouth
large, and his cheeks protruding. He had no friend, no relative, no
kinsman. He had been cast off by them all for the exceedingly cruel life
he led. Indeed, a man of wicked conduct should be renounced from a
distance by the wise, for he who injures his own self cannot be expected
to do good to others. Those cruel and wicked-souled men that take the
lives of other creatures are always like poisonous snakes, a source of
trouble to all creatures. Taking his nets with him, and killing birds in
the woods, he used to sell the meat of those winged creatures, O king
(for livelihood). Following such conduct, the wicked-souled wretch lived
for many long years without ever understanding the sinfulness of his
life. Accustomed for many long years to sport with his wife in the forest
in the pursuit of this profession, and stupefied by destiny, no other
profession was liked by him. One day as he was wandering through the
forest intent on his business, a great storm arose that shook the trees
and seemed about to uproot them. In a moment dense clouds appeared on the
sky, with flashes of lightning playing amidst them, presenting the aspect
of a sea covered with merchants' boats and vessels. He of a hundred
sacrifices having entered the clouds with a large supply of rain, in a
moment the earth became flooded with water. While yet the rain fell to
torrents, the fowler lost his senses through fear. Trembling with cold
and agitated with fear, he roved through the forest. The killer of birds
failed to find any high spot (which was not under water). The paths of
the forest were all submerged. Inconsequence of the force of the shower,
many birds were deprived of life or dropped down on the ground. Lions and
bears and other animals, availing themselves of some high spots they had
found, lay down to rest. All the denizens of the forest were filled with
fear in consequence of that frightful storm and shower. Frightened and
hungry they roamed through the woods in packs, small and large. The
fowler, however, with limbs stiffened by cold, could neither stop where
he was nor move. While in this state he eyed a she-pigeon lying on the
ground, stiffened with cold. The sinful wight, though himself in the same
predicament, beholding the bird, picked her up and immured her in a cage.
Himself overwhelmed with affliction, he scrupled not to overwhelm a
fellow-creature with affliction. Indeed, the wretch, through force of
habit alone, committed that sin even at such a time. He then beheld in
the midst of that forest a lordly tree, blue as the clouds. It was the
resort of myriads of birds desirous of shade and shelter. It seemed to
have been placed there by the Creator for the good of all creatures like
a good man in the world. Soon the sky cleared and became spangled with
myriads of stars, presenting the aspect of a magnificent lake smiling
with blooming lilies. Turning his eyes towards the clear firmament rich
with stars, the fowler began to advance, still trembling with cold.
Beholding the sky cleared of clouds, he cast his eyes on all sides and
seeing that night was already upon him, he began to think, 'My home is at
great distance from where I am.' He then resolved to pass the night under
the shade of that tree. Bowing down to it with joined hands, he addressed
that monarch of the forest, saying, 'I am a suppliant for the shelter
unto all the deities that have this tree for their resort.' Having said
these words, he spread some leaves for a bed, and laid himself down on
it, resting his head on a stone. Though overwhelmed with affliction, the
man soon fell asleep.'"