SATYAN
-7. Honesty Pays!

Vasudev was in a dilemma.  What would he say? If he told the truth, King Bharadwaj may not like it.  If he spoke a lie, it would mean that he was not adhering to his principles.  Soon, he made up his mind, “Maharaj, you may not appreciate what I am going to say but the fact remains that this is a plain truth.  Not once have I heard people applauding you.  They have always maintained that you are not a good ruler for you seldom look after the welfare of your subjects.” 

Bharadwaj was aghast to hear this!  “What!  How is it possible?  Just now my ministers told me something completely different!” 

“I do not know about them, Maharaj.  I am only telling you what I have heard!”  Vasudev said honestly.

Bharadwaj did not believe a word of all that Vasudev had just said.  He immediately summoned those two ministers and apprised them of all that Vasudev had told him a few moments ago. 

“Maharaj, if a King is good, it is apparent that people will sing his praises.  Why should we lie?   You duly deserve all the compliments the people are showering on you.  How can you ever believe this boy?  After all, are we not aware about his evil character?  He deserves to be severely punished for speaking such a blatant lie.”  one of the ministers said accusing Vasudev.

With his ministers taking his side, Bharadwaj was now convinced that Vasudev was not speaking the truth.  He became very angry and snarled at the youth who was silently looking at him.  “I thought that you genuinely wanted to mend your ways which is why I employed you here to enable you lead a decent life.  Is this how you repay me for that?  How dare you make fun of me in such a despicable manner!  You have not improved even a bit, Vasudev.  Get out from here!  You are lucky that I am only asking you to leave the palace.  Get out!”  Bharadwaj trembled with fury, which sent a shiver down the spine of the two ministers present there.  But the person on whom these wild remarks were hurled at was calm and composed.  He was deeply hurt from inside his heart but did not give vent to his feelings.  He walked off from the King’s chamber and came to his small room beside the royal kitchen.  He quietly packed his belongings and left the palace.

As Vasudev opened the door of his little house on the outskirts of the city of Panchami, he foremost looked at the place where the idol of Lord Krishna was kept.  No!  The lord had not yet come back to him!  He kept his packed belongings on the floor and sat on the cot.  His face now clearly reflected his feelings.  It was overcome with grief.  Vasudev had never expected that his stay in the King’s palace as a cook would be so short-lived.  Still, he had no regrets for speaking the truth that cost him his job on this day.  What would he do now?  This was the discerning question that gave him an almost sleepless night.  However, by the morrow he had decided upon his next course of action.  He met those people whose loans he had repaid and implored them to give him any job they deemed fit for him.  But success eluded him as all of them turned their faces away from him saying that they had no employment in store for him at the moment.  Some of them even criticised him for needlessly blurting out the truth before the King that had cost him dearly.  By the time, Vasudev returned home, it was noon.  As he was about to enter his house, he heard someone calling out to him.  As he looked in the direction from where he heard the voice he found that his three friends were walking up to him!  His joy knew no bounds and he gave them a warm welcome to his house.  However, his friends did not seem to be so excited seeing him.  After they were all seated, Vasudev queried, “Where had you all been?  All my attempts in locating your whereabouts turned futile.” 

“All that later, Vasudev.  First, tell us about the events which occurred on that fateful day.”  Sridhar demanded.

Thereafter, Vasudev narrated all the happenings right from that time till this day in detail.  After he had finished with his narration, Hari chided him, “You are the greatest fool I have ever come across in my life!  Where was the need to tell the King the truth that people had no high opinion of him?  You have killed the goose, which laid golden eggs for you with your own hands!  Tell me, what did you gain by adopting this new path of honesty?  Today, you are back to square one!  We have also suffered much because of you.  We were leading a complacent life by stealing other’s properties.  But after that day, we were compelled to give up theft.  Now we are doing petty jobs like brooming, sweeping and washing clothes.  Despite making so much efforts, we have to, sometimes bear the ire of our masters.  What sort of a life is this?” 

“But what you are now doing is much better than stealing, Hari.  You are making sincere efforts to earn your living.  As for me, I do not think that I have done something wrong in apprising the King of the fact that everyone thinks him to be an irresponsible ruler.  He must know that to get a good name, he has to work for the people’s cause and the kingdom.  Merely by being confined to the four walls of the palace, he cannot expect everyone to sing over his praises.  Allright!  I lost my job for being honest!  I am sure that Lord Krishna is only putting me to a test.  He wants to see whether I get frustrated and turn back to my old ways after this incident.  But come what may, I will not move away from the righteous path I have chosen.”  Vasudev spoke with reliance.

“You have gone mad, Vasudev.”  Sridhar chipped in.  “This attitude of yours is not going to do you any good.  Alongwith yourself, you have also put us to much hardship.  How we wish to return back to our old ways!”

(To Continue)