SATYAN
-6. A Troubled King?

Vasudev thoroughly enjoyed his new role as a cook under King Bharadwaj.  He made delicious delicacies, which the King relished.  This invigorated Vasudev to experiment with new items in which he got a resounding success.  Every day he prayed to Lord Krishna and implored him to come back to him.

Once he was engaged with a chat with one of the other cooks, Murali, in his chamber.  “Vasudev, will you feel bad if I tell you something?” 

“Of course not, Murali.  Please tell me!” 

“Vasudev, you are indeed a lucky person!  You must be one among those very few who have benefited under this King.” 

Vasudev smiled at his friend, “Actually even I have been wondering all these days as to why the King is so genial towards me.  Why dosen’t he accord this same approach towards his subjects?  I have seldom seen him venturing out and meeting the people.  That day I was surprised to see him at Dyanchand’s house.  After that, till this day I do not think that he has made a similar move of getting in contact with those people who are in need for help.  I do find his attitude to be strange.” 

Vasudev was in good rapport with Murali and, therefore, did not hesitate to speak his mind to him. 

“His visit to Dyanchand’s house is a different matter, Vasudev.  He enjoys good personal relations with Dyanchand.  By now, you must have known that he is a great admirer of Dyanchand’s pickles.  Therefore, as a friend he must have gone to enquire about the theft in his house.  Thereby, he met you which exposed the theft committed by the merchant’s servant.  But going with you all the way to nab your friends and employing you here as a cook is unlike him!”  Murali observed.

“Murali, the very fact that he has been so generous towards me proves that he’s a noble man at heart.  Maybe he has some problem… I mean… something that we are not aware of.”  Vasudev reasoned.

“He’s lazy!  There can be no second opinion in this regard.  Laziness is sufficient to supercede all the good qualities a person has, Vasudev.  But you could be right!  There’s something about him which no one is aware of!”  Murali said in a soft tone.

As Vasudev listened intently, Murali continued almost in a whisper, “I have heard that he has some personal problem!  Unfortunately, no one is clearly aware about it.  Despite the fact that he is in the prime of his age to get married, he has resisted from tying the knot.  It seems that he is getting lots of invitations to attend the ‘swayamvar’ of Princess belonging to various kingdoms but he has been quietly burying them under the carpet.  Why?  There must be some reason behind this act of his.”  

Vasudev was disturbed to hear all this.  Why was his King wavering to marry?  After all he had everything at his disposal – wealth, looks and a vast kingdom.  He decided to take up this matter with the King at an appropriate time.

Ever since he took over his new assignment in the palace, Vasudev was worried about his friends.  He had even gone to meet them on a couple of occasions but could not find them in their houses.  He had also looked for them in some spots where they usually met earlier but they were untraceable.  Once he met Bharadwaj and implored him to do something for his friends.  “All of my three friends actually have interest in some fields, Maharaj.  While Hari has inkling towards drawing, Sridhar loves to fight with weapons and Shiva!  He sings melodiously, Maharaj.  But all of them, including me, wanted to earn money the easy way making the least of efforts.  Thus, we got deviated in the wrong track.  O King, if you can guide them to some proper sources so that their talent can be groomed properly, I will be grateful to you.” 

But the King was not in the best of moods at that time, “We’ll see about this later” he said in a non-chalant tone. 

After that, he never enquired with Vasudev in this regard.  From the money he got working under the King, Vasudev repaid the loans he had taken from some people under the pretext of opening a sweet shop. 

One day, after a long time Bharadwaj remembered about his subjects and enquired about them with two of his ministers.  Even though all was not well in the kingdom, they presented a rosy picture before the King. 

“Today we had taken a round in some areas incognito just to see if all was well and to know the topics of discussion among the people.  We are pleased to inform you, Maharaj, that everything is fine and there is no need to worry about anything.” one of the ministers said deceiving the King.

“That’s pleasant news!  Tell me, as you heard the people talking to each other they must have referred me atleast once in their discussions.  What is their opinion about me?”  the King asked eagerly.

This put the duo in a predicament.  They did not know what to say as they had heard the people only abusing their ruler.  Before Bharadwaj could make out from their faces that something was amiss, one of them spoke up, “Oh!  People are showering praises on you, Maharaj.  Everyone is of the opinion that the kingdom will blossom under your rule.”  Bharadwaj was exhilarated to hear these words of his ministers.  He gifted them with gold coins and thereafter both the ministers took their leave.  While going to their chambers, one of the ministers spoke with the other, “I thought we had made a terrible mistake by telling him that we had visited some areas of our kingdom incognito.  But it has worked out to our advantage!” 

“Yes!  But what if the King finds out the truth?”  asked the other worried.

“That would happen only if he ventures out to meet the people.  Do you think he will ever do that?”  Both of them laughed at this and moved to their chambers.

That evening, Vasudev came to meet the King to know about the dish he wanted for supper.  After Bharadwaj had told him about the meal he preferred in the night, he queried, “Vasudev, you stay in Panchami, right?” 

As the boy nodded in agreement, the King further asked,” Panchami was one of the places my ministers visited incognito today.  They say that the people are extolling me to the skies.  You have been staying in Panchami all along!  Do the people over there always have such high regard for me?”

(To Continue)