Baka Dālbhya Upākhyāna

The Baka Dālbhya Upākhyāna is told in Chapter 44 of the Śalya Parva of the Mahābhārata. It belongs to the tīrtha of Avākīrṇa on the river Sarasvatī, which is also called Baka Dālbhya’s āśrama. Here the brāhmaṇa ṛshi Baka Dālbhya taught the Pañcāla king Dhṛtarāshṭra the duties of a just king. He did it through a plain picture: a bull-calf and a milch cow, showing how a king and his people should live together.

The setting

When Balarāma came to the tīrtha of Avākīrṇa, also known as Baka Dālbhya’s āśrama, he was told the narrative of this holy place. The ṛshi Baka Dālbhya was the master of this āśrama and was known for his wisdom in dharma and in rājadharma (the duty of kings). (Mahābhārata, Śalya Parva, Chapter 44)

The narrative

The Pañcāla king Dhṛtarāshṭra came to Baka Dālbhya to ask for advice on the duties of a king. This Dhṛtarāshṭra was a king of the Pañcāla line, and not the blind king of the Kauravas. Baka Dālbhya was a skilled teacher, and he chose to teach by showing, not by giving rules.

He showed the king a milch cow with her calf. He explained that a king’s subjects (prajā) are like the cow. They feed and give, but only when they are well tended, not taxed too heavily, and treated with care. A king must not take from his people more than they can give. In the same way a calf must not drain the cow dry. It must leave enough milk for her own keeping and for the next round of nourishment.

The lesson was put in the picture of drawing from the people with care. A king who taxes fairly, protects his people and keeps a righteous court will receive willing support. A king who is greedy, careless or cruel destroys the very ground of his kingdom’s wealth. The bond between ruler and ruled goes both ways, and it must be kept with wisdom and restraint.

Baka Dālbhya went on to explain the principles of just kingship, the right share of tax in different seasons and conditions, and the spiritual duties of a king who lives on what his kingdom gives. (Mahābhārata, Śalya Parva, Chapter 44)

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Śalya Parva, Chapter 44