Shawa
Shakhi

A Stag, Two Hounds, and a Hunter's Arrow

Once, the 11th-century master-yogi Milarepa was meditating in a cave when a stag bounded up to him, terrified, fleeing two hounds and a merciless hunter. The stag had sought shelter inside the very cave where Milarepa sat, hoping to escape its death. Moments later, the hunter — named Gonpo Dorje — arrived with his hounds in search of the stag.

Milarepa spoke to them in song: "There is plenty of time for hunting and taking the life of others, but no one knows of one's own death. Who knows — your death may happen before this poor animal's." He was teaching the hunter about impermanence, in the gentlest way available to him.

The Story: How a Hunter Was Transformed

The hunter was not moved by the teaching — he was extremely annoyed, and shot his arrow at the stag regardless. Without warning, both the bow and the arrow broke apart in his hands. In Milarepa's presence, the hounds themselves grew calm and relaxed, their pursuit forgotten. Faced with what he had just witnessed, the hunter finally surrendered to Milarepa's wisdom, and followed the master's teaching for the rest of his life. From that point on, people called him Khilarepa rather than Gonpo Dorje.

This drama-dance is performed in the hope of cultivating compassion and love for animals, demonstrating that even the mind of a genuinely cruel man can be turned toward the Dharma. It signifies the deeply transformative power of compassion — capable of taming both wild animals and human cruelty at once — and the necessity of cultivating that same compassion for all sentient beings, as a path toward a successful rebirth and, ultimately, enlightenment.

Where to See the Shawa Shakhi

The Shawa Shakhi is performed at Tshechu festivals across Bhutan. Found Bhutan will identify when it appears in your chosen festival's programme, with a guide on hand to explain the story as it unfolds.