SATYAN 5
-12. In Quest For The Needy

Vasudev met his family members and informed them of all that had happened.  Everyone was grief-stricken!  The very thought that he may not survive for more than a couple of months was too much for them to bear.  They had hoped that if all this was only part of a test, then the Lord might reveal his true intentions in this meeting which sadly did not happen! Was King Bharadwaj mistaken in his belief?  They shuddered to think so!

Vasudev’s friends wanted to stay with him but they also had some family commitments that had to be attended to.  The ailing King asked them to leave for in his own words, “Family comes first!  I assure you that as soon as I grant this boon to someone, you will be notified about it.  If you can find time to come over then, we all can be together for one last time!” 

His friends reluctantly agreed. 

“I also have a request to make.  Do not tell anyone about this boon.  I want to give my life to a needy silently without any publicity or appreciation from anyone.  Tell your family that I am fine which I am at the moment!  After my death you are free to tell them or anyone about my boon!” 

The friends acceded to his wish and bade him a tearful farewell.   Before departing Hari presented a picture to Vasudev which he had conceived and drawn some while ago.  It depicted Vasudev standing right in the middle flanked by his three friends.  They were surrounded by greenery all around and there was the sun high up in the blue and partly reddish sky just about to set in the horizon.  The friends, who were shown wearing white kurtas and dhotis, were smiling and put their hands on each other’s shoulders.    

Vasudev appreciated this piece of art and decided to place it at the center of his chamber for posterity. 

Later after the friends left, Manorama informed Bharadwaj that her husband was aware of the mistake she had committed.  “You must have performed some incredible virtue in your life that you have been blessed with a husband like him!”  The old King summed up his feelings with this one-liner.  He met Vasudev and expressed his regret for concealing facts from him. 

“Please do not embarrass me, Maharaj!  Whatever you did was because you love me so much!  I have only considered this fact and erased the rest from my mind!”  Vasudev said with a smile.  The old King embraced him tightly. 

The next few days witnessed Vasudev making attempts to find the beneficiary of his boon.  In this context he toured his kingdom extensively.  His subjects were jubilant to have their King back in their midst without realizing that he was only making arrangements for his death! 

Finally through his efforts he zeroed upon seven individuals in his kingdom, who he felt were quite eligible for getting the virtue of his boon.  He had to now deliberate and select one among them for this task!

The common factors in all of them were that they were young, noble and even innocent.  They were the only child to their parents.

The first two persons suffered from debilitating illness owing to their weak resisting power.  While one was survived by his aged parents, wife and two toddlers, the other’s family comprised of his parents and wife.  He had no children.  Both were sole bread winners in their families.

The third person was a victim of wrong treatment by his physician.  This had resulted in a severe adverse reaction in his body and he was thus in a critical state now.  The physician was taken in custody, but the damage was done!  This youngster had his mother, wife and three children in his family.  He, too, was the only earning member.

The fourth person had tried to intervene in a brawl between two inebriated men and was in the process badly beaten up by the duo with sharp weapons.  He had his aged parents to look after and was to be married two weeks hence. 

 The fifth person was grievously injured when he was thrown out from his horse in a horse-racing competition.  He had a wife and a child to look after.

The sixth person was a young girl child who was badly injured when learning archery.  She was the only child to her parents.

The seventh person was an even younger girl child who had consumed a poisonous substance mistaking it to be some food.  She was also the only child of her parents’ and was born at an advanced state of their marriage. 

Vasudev’s cogitations in this matter unfortunately yielded no results.  The more he thought about this, the more he felt that offering the boon to any of them would automatically result in injustice being meted out to the other.  Try as he might, he was not able to arrive at any decision.  He brought this to the notice of his family who could do nothing to mitigate this impasse. 

Rishabd could not stop his heart from getting the feeling of a strange happiness!  After all, should his father fail to use the boon it could mean that he may survive for more than a couple of months!  However, the young King tried to ward off this feeling for he did not want to derive any joy or satisfaction from anything that unduly disturbed his father.  Besides the fact remained that in case Vasudev was not able to utilize the boon he may have to lead a life of indisposition and suffering.    As these thoughts were going on in his mind, King Abharan entered in.  He had come along to meet Vasudev.