The Dreaded Conspiracy - 24

Raghunathan wrinkled his forehead.  “O Queen, Vikrant has got much fame in my friend’s kingdom.  I have not spoiled his career for the sake of my son!

I do not know what he proposes to do now!  But if he returns, he will take the position of Biksham!  What more can I say in this regard?”  The Queen fell silent after this.

Raghunathan hugged the Queen and said affectionately, “I am sorry if I have hurt you, dear!  What I did was for the benefit of my son!  You yourself acknowledged today that I had done the right thing by opting for Biksham as our son’s guru.  What I did was quite simple.  I knew that Biksham was the culprit.

However, I was also aware that he is an adept in the field of warfare and was quite intelligent in several other spheres.  Therefore, I made him impart his knowledge to my son and now that it is done, I threw him away!”

“I understand, Maharaj!”  the Queen approved.

Meanwhile, in his chamber Vijaya lay down on the bed and in a few moments his eyes started raining tears.  He covered his eyes with his hands and wept for quite a while.

After all, how would a student feel on learning that the guru under whom he took education for twelve years was actually his enemy and had tried to kill him?  After some time, Vijaya wiped his tears and rose from bed.  He moved towards the window and looked outside.  Even in his hour of grief,

Vijaya showed remarkable presence of mind.  He realised that if he continued to be in such sorrow, it would cause grief to his parents which he did not want.  He entertained such thoughts in his mind that whatever his father did was for his own good and provided solace to his disconsolate mind.

After some time, Vijaya entered the chamber of his parents.  He embraced his father saying, “Do not worry about me, dear father!  I will come out of this!  I realise the essence of your decision to make me have education under Biksham ‘uncle’ despite knowing that he was my enemy!”  These words of the Prince pleased the parents, especially the King who held him close to his heart.

Thereby, the King asked him a question, “Your guru revealed that he was planning to ask your life as his guru dakshina.   Would you have obeyed him?”  “Certainly, O father.”  replied Vijaya promptly, “As his student it is my responsibility to give him his guru dakshina.  I would have certainly ended my life had he asked me to do so!”

The parents were highly impressed to hear these words of their son.

In a short while, Biksham entered the King’s chamber.  As soon as he came in, both the King and the Queen turned their faces away from him.  Biksham came close to the King, “Ever since I confessed everything in the durbar, I am feeling as if I have removed a burden from my heart, Maharaj!

Believe me!   I was not like this before the desire to become the ruler of this kingdom poisoned my heart!  I only believed in doing my duty and leave the rest to God!”

There was no response from the King.  Biksham, then turned to Vijaya who looked at him with tearful eyes, unable to suppress his emotions.  “O Prince, here is a living example before you of how the lust to have more power spoils a man’s character and converts him into a devil!  Being your guru, I have this right to tell you, Vijaya!

Always follow all that I have taught you and be a good ruler like your father!”

Vijaya, at once touched the feet of his guru!  This made both the King and the Queen look at their son in bewilderment!  The moment Vijaya did this act, Biksham’s heart melted away and he began to feel miserable that it was this noble soul that he had tried to kill!

“O Guruji, you had taught me that one should take into consideration only the finer aspects of life!  It is only then that we can lead a happy and contended life!  I will follow it in the true spirit!  I will only remember that you are my guruji and nothing else!  I will not disappoint you, guruji!  I will follow in the footsteps of my father!”

With emotions overcoming him, Biksham helped Vijaya to his feet.  “I feel honoured that you were my pupil!”  He, then, turned to the King and revealed his plans, “I plan to renounce everything and retire to the forest, Maharaj!  I will do severe penance to repent for all my sins!”

Still, there was no response from the King.  Biksham slowly made his way out of the chamber, which the King could see, from the corner of his eye.  “Biksham!” he called out to him in his sonorous voice.  Biksham stopped and looked at the King surprised that he had called him.  Raghunathan came close to Biksham with his face red with anger.  “I will pray to God that people like you never take birth or else it would pose a severe threat to the sacred beliefs of trust and faith in the three worlds.”  the King sniped.  Biksham looked at the King with penitence and admitted, “Yes, O King!  I will also pray to the Lord that he grant your wish!”  So saying, he took his leave.

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Sage Suryananda who was narrating this story asked his students about the moral of his story.  “Do not be greedy”, “Be satisfied with what you get”,

“Never take undue advantage of the trust which someone reposes on you” were the responses of the students.  The sage smiled at them and concluded, “I am happy that you have grasped the essence of this story, dear children.  Always adopt the goal, which Biksham had done before he came greedy for power.

Do your job with sincerity and selfless dedication and the Lord will ensure that you are rewarded in some way or the other in the future.  If Biksham had only done his duty he would have become the King of Raameshwaram  but instead ended up being humiliated in front of everyone owing to his own guilt.”

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