Why do the dead come back as crows?

Many believe the dead come back in the form of crows to accept the rice balls offered during funeral rituals. This tale has an interesting explanation for this belief.

Seeing mother Konthyamma upset because Gandhari had celebrated the Gajagowri feast without inviting her, Arjuna brought the Airawatha down so that Konthi also could perform the ritual.

Decked up in a fine sari and jewels when Konthyamma went to invite her sister, Gandhari stared at her and said, ‘Is it proper to deck yourself up like a wife when you don’t have a husband? How can you perform a ritual only wives can observe?’ Pushing aside a tear with her little finger, Konthyamma said, ‘When I have five gems for my sons, I’m as auspicious as any wife’.

Bhima, following Dharma’s orders, went to invite Siyodhana. ‘How can Konthi perform the Gajagowri ritual meant only for women with husbands? I shall definitely come with my brothers to witness this outlandish event,’ laughed Duryodha. Bhima came back and reported the matter to brother Dharma. ‘Paramathma,’ sighed Dharma. Lord Krishna appeared at once. ‘Why did you call me Dharmaraja? Tell me what your troubles are’. When he had heard what Dharma had to say, Paramathma said: ‘Write to your father Yamadharma asking him to send Panduraja to earth until the Gajagowri feast is done. Let Konthi celebrate the Gajagowri feast as an auspicious wife’. ‘When Lord Krishna has ordered thus, who am I to defy it?’ said Yamadharma when he’d read the letter, and sent Panduraja to earth at once.

Accompanied by her husband, Konthyamma went to her sister’s palace. Panduraja, touched brother Dritharastra’s feet and invited him. Konthyamma, offering her sister turmeric, kumkum and betel, said ‘you must come to the Gajagowri ritual’. Overjoyed that his little brother had invited him, Dritharastra wanted to go at once. Gandhari set out too along with her husband. Konthyamma came next to Siyodha’s palace, with Panduraja by her side. Siyodha sent for his brothers and told them about Panduraja’s visit. Then, they too insisted on attending the feast.

Konthyamma celebrated the feast in great grandeur, as an auspicious wife, with Panduraja beside her. Once the feast was over, all the heavenly beings had to go back. In the morning, two messengers from Yama came to take Panduraja back. Kothyamma’s heart sank. ‘I shall not let my husband go back. Let me remain a wife forever. Let not my children be orphaned,’ she insisted. Bhimasena glared at the messengers.

‘I shall smash you to a pulp with my mace,’ he thundered. Everyone stood speechless. Paramathma said, ‘Lower your mace, Bhimanna! Yama sent Panduraja back trusting your words. You shouldn’t go back on your word. You must send Panduraja back to the world of the dead.’ Konthyamma began to wail and beat her head in despair. ‘I didn’t expect this problem,’ thought Paramathma. ‘I’ll have to give a curse to stop such a thing. Let not the dead come back to earth in human form. Let them come back as birds If they have to partake in their funeral rites. If they come back as parrots, peacocks or cuckoos, folks will keep them in a cage. So let them come back as crows, whom nobody loves,’ Paramathma cursed.

When he placed his hand on Bhima’s head, Bhima fell into a faint. Messengers of Yama then took Panduraja away. When Paramathma saw how miserable everyone was, he made them all forget Panduraja had ever come back.

Translated by Laxmi Chandrashekar

The author, a retired professor of English, is a well-known theatre and television artiste and an award-winning translator.

Folktales from the Mahabharata is a monthly column that features lesser-known episodes from ‘Janapada Mahabharata’. It has been sung by eminent folk-artiste Bettada Beedu Siddhashetty and was collected, edited, and published by Dr P K Rajashekara.