The wise king of birds, reflecting deeply, said, “I do not recall any fault of this guest. Keep your mind steady in righteousness. For the twice-born, the teacher is like fire; among all the classes, the Brahmin is the teacher. For women, the husband alone is the teacher; for all, the guest is the teacher. Those who welcome a guest with kind words are praised by all. For such hosts, even the goddess of speech is satisfied, and by offering food to a guest, even mighty Indra himself is pleased. The ancestors are gladdened when a guest’s feet are washed, Prajapati is satisfied by food and drink, and by such service, Lakshmi is pleased through Vishnu. All the gods are present upon the guest’s bed; thus, the guest is supremely worthy of honor. A guest who arrives at sunset, weary and seeking shelter, should be seen as a form of the gods—he is the very fruit of all sacrifices. When a weary guest enters a home, all the gods, ancestors, and sacred fires follow him. If he is satisfied, they too rejoice; if he departs unsatisfied, they are left unsatisfied as well. Therefore, beloved, abandon your sorrow, compose your mind, and perform righteous deeds with a pure heart. Helping and harming are both considered excellent, for everyone does good in return to those who help them. Yet, one who does good even to those who have harmed him is truly virtuous and gains great merit. You have spoken well for both of us, and I am pleased by your words. Yet, hear me further, O beautiful one. Some creatures carry a thousand burdens, others a hundred, and some only ten; some can easily support themselves, but we must bear the hardship of feeding our difficult bellies. Some have grain and wealth stored in pits, others keep their wealth in sheaves, still others in pots—but we, we have only what we can hold in our beaks. How, then, shall I honor this weary guest who has arrived, O auspicious one? Even simple things—fire, water, kind words, grass, wood—should be given to one who asks. This hunter is afflicted by cold.” Having spoken thus with love, the king of birds climbed the tree, looked around, and saw fire glowing in the distance. He went to that place, took a burning stick in his beak, and kindled a fire before the hunter, his guest. Again and again, the king of pigeons brought dry wood, leaves, and grass, feeding the fire through the midnight hours. The hunter, chilled to the bone, found relief in the blazing fire, warming his exhausted limbs and regaining comfort. Yet, seeing the hunter now tormented by hunger, the female pigeon spoke to her husband: “Do not release me, O noble one. With my own body, I shall satisfy the suffering hunter. May you, virtuous soul, attain those worlds reserved for those who honor their guests. As long as I remain, your duty as host is unfulfilled. Here, let me become the honored guest—permit me, O auspicious one.” Having spoken, she circumambulated the fire three times, remembering the four-armed Lord Vishnu, the soul of all, the great refuge and beloved of devotees. She said, “Enjoy as you please,” and entered the fire herself. Seeing her cast her life into the flames, the hunter cried out, “Alas! Shame upon the life of a human, for this king of birds has performed such a heroic deed for my sake!” As the hunter lamented, the female bird addressed him, “Release me, O noble one; my husband is departing far away.” Hearing her words, the hunter, trembling with emotion, swiftly opened the cage and set her free. She then circled her husband and sang to him by the fire. “This is the highest duty of women,” she declared, “to follow the husband. This path is prescribed in the Vedas and honored in all worlds. Just as one who forcibly pulls a snake from its hole, so a devoted wife follows her husband and ascends to heaven with him. For as many years as there are countless hairs on a human body, a wife who follows her husband dwells in heaven.” Bowing to the earth, the gods, the Ganges, and the trees, and comforting her offspring, she spoke to the hunter, “Through your grace, O noble one, I have attained this. Forgive me regarding my children, for I now go with my husband to heaven.” Having spoken thus, the virtuous bird entered the sacrificial fire. As she entered the flames, cries of victory rose to the heavens. In the sky, a radiant palace appeared, shining like the sun, and upon it the divine couple, now resembling the gods, were seen seated. Filled with joy, they spoke to the hunter, who stood in wonder: “Come, let us go to the realm of the gods; you are invited, O wise one. You are the guest who has become our stairway to heaven—salutations to you.” Seeing them ascend the splendid palace, the hunter, laying aside his bow and joining his hands in reverence, called out, “Do not abandon me, O greatly fortunate ones! Do not bestow anything upon one who does not understand. I am your honored guest here—please tell me the means of atonement.” The divine couple replied, “Go to the Gautami river, and may you fare well. Confess your sin to her. By bathing there, you will be freed from all sins.