Yes. As watchman of the lake, Mara discharged his responsibilities very sincerely. He obeyed the command of the Goddess in letter and spirit. The Goddess had instructed that nothing that flew over the lake or swam in the lake or walked in those parts should be killed. She had also warned not to hurt even a tiger if it came down from the mountain to slake its thirst in the lake at night.

Soon after the tank had been constructed, Mara lived in a hut near the lake and watched over the lake day and night. If ever Mara saw anyone walking near the lake with a fishing rod or arrows, he would warn them not to fish in the lake or hunt the gulls that skimmed over the lake. Secondly, Mara tended the lake with great care so as to see that no one polluted the lake. If anyone wanted to take water from the lake he had to seek Mara’s permission.

Mara also managed to provide water to all the farmers in and around the village so that the crops and cattle did not die of drought. He did so by opening the gates that let the water into the fields at the right time and supervised the flow of water wisely.

Finally, when the Goddess told him that she wanted to destroy the tank, Mara prayed to her not to do so. When she refused to grant his request he obtained from her an assurance that she would wait until he came back after informing the king about it. After meeting the king, he requested the king to get him executed and prevent him from going back to the village so that the Goddess would never destroy the lake. He did so because he wanted to ensure that the lake was not destroyed and the king’s subjects and the whole village would not be washed away by the waters of the lake. He also got the king to promise him that his son, and after him, his son and then his son’s son to the last generation of Mara’s family would be made the watchman of the lake. Thus Mara, as watchman of the lake, took his responsibilities seriously.