PT5-05-RagHeads
Panchatantra Stories  
பஞ்சதந்திரம் pañca-tantiram , n. pañcan +. The Tamil version of Pañca-tantra consisting of five books, viz., mittira-pētam, cukirl- lāpam, canti-vikkirakam, artta-nācam, acampirēṭciya-kārittuvam; மித்திரபேதம், சுகிர்ல்லாபம், சந்திவிக்கிரகம், அர்த்தநாசம், அசம்பிரேட்சியகாரித்து வம் என ஐம்பகுதியுடையதாய்த் தமிழில் மொழிபெயர்க் கப்பட்ட நூல்.
1. மித்திரபேதம் = mittira-pētam = Sowing discord among friends.
2. சுகிர்ல்லாபம் = cukir-l-lāpam = the acquisition of friends.
3. சந்திவிக்கிரகம் canti-vikkirakam  = Associating with a foe with a view to ruin him.
4. அர்த்தநாசம் artta-nācam  = Loss of wealth.
5. அசம்பிரேட்சியகாரித்துவம் a-campirēṭciya-kārittuvam , n. a-sam-prēkṣya-kāri-tva. Action without forethought.
Inspiration: N.Natchiyappan 
 Four persons in a town, stricken with extreme poverty, approached a Siddhar to find relief from penury. By yogic power, he instructed them on ways to obtain riches. The Siddhar applied a rag (திரிச்சீலை) on each one of their heads and said the following.

A twisted rag used as a wick or as a seton for sores

"Go to the Himalayas with this rag on your head. On the way, the place where the rag falls is the site of treasure which he desired."

The foursome trekked towards the Himalayas. The rag fell off the first man's head. He dug a hole in the ground and found copper. He invited the other three to share his find. They refused to take the offer, saying what they could do with copper. They said he could have it all. Satisfied with his discovery, he thanked God and went home with cooper.

The other three continued their journey. The rag fell off the second man's head. They saw silver at the site. The other rag heads did not partake of the silver and went on their journey convinced they would find precious metals. The third man's rag fell off, and they discovered a hoard of gold. The fourth man continued his journey, asking the third man to keep his gold. The third man with gold said to the fourth man he would wait for him to return. He left, promising to return soon.

The fourth man saw a man with a wheel spinning on his head. The former asked the latter why the wheel was spinning on his head. As soon as the fourth man asked the question, the wheel moved to his head from the stranger's head.

The fourth man: "What is this? It is like the ghost that appeared when the man dug a well. The Chakra man said Kubera cursed him with the result a wheel spun on his head. When I saw you, he said the curse would lift, and that was what happened now. The fourth man asked the former Chakra-head how long the wheel was spinning.

The former Chakra head: "I do not have an idea. I was spinning since Sitaraman ruled the country."

The raghead: "Who brings food and water to you."

The former Chakra head: "The occupiers of this site do not suffer hunger or thirst. This wheel spins to warn the Kubera 's wealth robbers." The third man with a hoard of gold came looking for the fourth rag-head. He noticed the spinning wheel and asked him what it was.

The fourth rag-head said, crying, "My friend! My bad luck is the price of greed. I suffer the sorrow.

The gold owner offered him soothing words, went back home, and lived well.