Once Lakshman saw a dog sitting near the gate of the palace, blood oozing from its head, and the dog, with sorrowful eyes, kept looking at Lakshman, whining. Lakshman asked, "What's the matter? Why are you here? You can tell me everything fearlessly."
The dog said, "I want to speak directly to Lord Ram because his divine feet assure fearlessness to all beings, and he provides shelter to the helpless. I am in distress."
Lakshman replied, "If you have something to say, you are welcome inside the court. Come in and speak to the king about your concerns."
To this, the dog said, "I am extremely lowly. Hence, I am not eligible to enter temples, Brahmin's houses, or the royal court. A king embodies all the religious principles, acts as the representative of all deities, and works for the welfare of all beings. Therefore, without the king's permission, I cannot dare to approach him."
Lakshman informed the matter to the royal court, and immediately Ram ordered, "Bring him here without delay, whoever he may be."
The dog came before Ram with utmost humility and said, "O Lord, a king is the representative of the Supreme Person and thus he is the protector and sustainer of all living beings. Even when other creatures are at peace, the king remains vigilant and always works for the welfare of every individual.
"On the other hand, everything depends on the king. If the king becomes careless, his subjects are quickly destroyed. The king is the standard-bearer of religious principles and thus uplifts righteousness while also suppressing the forces of evil. Those who follow religious principles find happiness not only in this life but also in the next. Therefore, by upholding the banner of righteousness, the king earns great fame.
"O Ram, you are an ideal righteous king. I humbly desire to attain your compassionate glance by placing my head at your lotus feet. Please do not be angry with what I have to say."
Ram assured the dog, saying, "Speak your mind! You can fearlessly express yourself."
Encouraged by this, the dog continued, "There is a mendicant Brahmin named Sarvathasiddha who unjustly struck my head, even though I had done nothing wrong."
Upon receiving directions from Ram, the dog said, "In my past life, I was the head of the Kaalnjara Monastery. I worshiped deities and Brahmins, meticulously carried out my religious duties, and took good care of all the servants. However, due to some unknown fault, despite being attentive and vigilant, I was reborn as a dog.
"Now, consider this Brahmin, who cannot even control his anger. Surely, he is not fit to be an Acharya. By accepting this position out of arrogance, he will ruin his family for seven generations. How can a person who cannot control his anger be entrusted with the responsibility of worshiping Brahmins, cows, and deities? Just as a person who returns a gift given with free will goes to hell, similarly, a person who steals from Brahmins, deities, women, or children also goes to hell. Indeed, the mere thought of stealing from deities and Brahmins condemns a person to the lowest hell!"
Saying this, the dog suddenly disappeared, leaving Ram and the royal court astonished. The being who was born in a highly esteemed family in his past life was compelled to accept the body of a dog for some reason in this life. After leaving the court of Ayodhya, that dog abandoned its body in the hope of obtaining a better one.
