Garuda Purana Story: The King Who Became a Lizard
What Happened
King Nriga was famous throughout the world for his generosity. He donated thousands of cows to priests and the needy. Everyone considered him one of the most charitable kings ever. One day, however, a mistake occurred. A cow that King Nriga had already donated wandered back into his royal herd. Unaware of this, the king donated the same cow again to another Brahmin. Soon, both Brahmins claimed ownership of the cow. When the dispute reached the king, Nriga apologized and offered thousands of cows in compensation. But both Brahmins were upset. One felt cheated, while the other refused to give up the cow. Though the mistake was unintentional, the injustice had still occurred. After his death, Yama told Nriga: "Your good deeds are immense, but even a small mistake involving another person's rights has consequences." Nriga was reborn as a giant lizard and remained trapped in an abandoned well for many years. Ages later, Lord Krishna's sons discovered the strange creature and informed Krishna. When Krishna touched the lizard, the curse ended and Nriga regained his celestial form. Freed at last, he ascended to heaven.
Key Takeaways
A thousand good deeds cannot erase one unresolved injustice, but sincere repentance and divine grace can.