Atmanirbharta - Story of Crane and Fox

In a jungle there lived a crane and a fox. Crane lived by the lake feeding on the fishes and crabs. Fox would come there to quench his thirst. That is how they got acquainted. They were both self-reliant in their respective life. They could hunt for their own food and plenty of mates to choose from. Their favourite topic was human frailties. Both the fox and the crane would visit the near-by human settlement looking for food and bring back news from their visit. The fox especially like the beef scavenges that was dumped by humans. They looked forward to their gossip session about humans. They often wondered why humans with their much bigger brains needed Gods unlike the animals and birds who did not have any need for God in their life.

Fox would ask "why the humans have created the four varnas." Crane never had an answer. He would say "Animals and birds live by their skills and on their own strengths. That is how nature had created them. Humans with their better brains could likewise do the same or use their brains to create better circumstances for themselves" the crane would sum up.

Fox would then ask "why humans fight over what each one should eat?" Crane would answer "indeed! That was a good question. Sometimes in case of shortage animals and birds may fight over food. But definitely, I don't have any problem with what you eat."

With so much happening at the human end their gossip session grew over time. One day the crane had decided to call Fox over for a meal. He was looking for the Fox to invite him. sometime later the Fox came running full of fear and totally terrified. The Fox stammered Oh! Brother, I had been to the town. Oh my god, people were killing each other, there was arson and looting. I barely managed to escape. It looked like a civil war. I just about managed to escape through a broken fence. Irony was that on the fence there was a poster saying God is love. The crane calmed him down and later told him to join him for a meal. Fox said he would rest for a while at his cave and then join the crane. He took a plate with him. Crane had prepared some crab and fish curry which he enjoyed thoroughly.

Then the fox wanted to return the compliment and invited crane over a few weeks later. He had prepared some juicy stew made out of foal he had hunted that morning. Crane carried a jar with him and feasted sumptuously on the meal. They both had taken 'atmanirbharta' to a different level. They were happy and told each other they were lucky not to be humans who are so much divided as a society.

Moral of the Story: 'Atmanirbharta' makes for a good meal.