The Rajahamsa

In classical Sanskrit literature and folklore, there lives a legendary mythical creature known as the Rajahamsa, or the Royal Swan.

The Rajahamsa has an extraordinary power - when it is presented with a mixture of milk and water, the Royal Swan can separate the pure milk, leaving the water behind.

This power of the Rajahamsa, was revealed in a high ice-capped mountain.

There was a clear river near an ice capped mountain. Many birds lived there, and among them was the wise Rajahamsa.

One evening, a fierce storm swept down the mountain, kicking up dirt and mud, sending it all over the lake.

By the next morning, the crystal clear water of the lake had turned dark, thick and murky.

A young panicked swan rushed up to the Rajahamsa. “Look at what the storm has done! Everything is ruined! If the water is so muddy, we cannot see anything. How can we hunt if we cannot see anything? We will not be able to survive in such conditions!”

The older Rajahamsa remained completely unshaken. He glided over to the dark and muddy water and dipped his beak into the murky mixture. With steady focus, he separated pure nourishing liquid that had been mixed in the water.

The royal swan then turned to the little young bird and spoke softly. “The storm cannot choose what stays inside you. The lake will always have mud, but you get to decide what you focus on. Life will always bring noise and chaos. If you focus on the chaos, you will never know peace. But if you learn to look past the murkiness, you will find that the nourishment is still there.”

Watching the older Rajahamsa, the young swan realized the basic truth and stopped churning the waters in panic. Then, the young swan dipped its beak in the lake choosing to take only the clean water ignoring the debris around.

That was the day the swan understood that true strength was about cultivating the inner ability to extract good, no matter what the environment.

Adapted from Classical Sanskrit Folklore