Chapter Fifteen: The Palatial Hut
Past the veteran trees, through the young bushes, and over the newborn plants, running, running, running, we are tired, scared, and misled. The tiger is almost at our heels roaring in wrath. Then, suddenly, we come to see a high wall in front of us. We can't flee any further--the jaws of Death look unavoidable. Notwithstanding, We turn back and boldly face Lucifer the tiger. At first, he gives an intimidating laugh and then changes into the human in an instant. We breathe a sigh of relief. Observing us from head to foot with a sarcastic smile, he comments, 'Lucifer does no damage to his guests. I live in this forest, so you're my guests in a way. But I just wanted to prove I was transformed into a real tiger, by scaring you into a playful run. It was really a delightful sporting event. Were you not enjoying it?'
Vedanand grudges, 'We're almost done in to death. And to talk about enjoying it! How cruel!'
'Aha! You're like my better half--she often charges me with cruelty. But in the actual fact, she won't get a more artless, unassuming, and naive husband than me in the all three worlds, I can assure.
'Well, let the matter drop. Now let's go back to the pond. This time it's you who will give it a try. That'll be very funny indeed. Well, then, what form would you like to change into?'
'Changing colours and forms befits only those who have no fixed goals in life and who aren't dedicated yet; but our future is all determined and can't be undone by any means. This one form, this one colour will last us forever.'--Vedanand asserts vigorously.
'Oh, that's spiritual virtuosity. But, gentlemen, one can never afford to be so righteous in the world--it's only possible in Utopia.'
'We're very sorry, sir, but we beg to differ strongly. There were, there are, and there will ever be some holy people with the highest spiritual achievements of the type you're referring to.'--We protest.
'All right, gentlemen! Don't be agitated. I was just kidding. Let's talk about something else. Well, let me see, it should be, it should be the wall--yes, the stone wall on your left. Have you got any idea about what it is in actuality? How's it here in such a deep forest? Don't you have any curiosity about such things?'
'Remember, sir, curiosity killed the cat,' I smartly answer.
'But remember, gentlemen, curiousity can also make your dog alive--I mean, it can fetch you your lost puppy if you only feel curious.'
'How do you know it's a puppy?' I demand.
'That's the question, gentlemen! And that's why I would like to welcome you to my humble hut.'
'Your humble hut? Where is it, sir?' asks Vedanand in an eager tone.
'Here you are, gentlemen! Here's the wall of my hut. It may well look like a palatial edifice in YOUR eyes; but it's nothing but a small hut in MY eyes. Actually, I'm much, much, much taller than my body. I'm physically five foot five, but mentally fifty five. That's why the palace looks like a hut when I mentally stand by it. It can't hold me.'
Hearing this, Vedanand bursts out laughing--'ha-ha-ha-ho-ho-ho!' And then he pointedly comments, 'You've reminded me of "The Song of the Sannyasin", one of Swami Vivekananda's greatest poems in which these lines occur:
"Have thou no home. What home can hold thee, friend?
The sky thy roof, the grass thy bed; and food
What chance may bring, well cooked or ill, judge not."
It's meant for sannyasis or ascetics who have renounced everything material just for the sake of God; it's not meant for men like you, Lucifer, who are already blessed with five sons, seven daughters, nine grandsons, and eleven granddaughters. Ha-ha-ha! You make me laugh, Lucifer, you make me laugh. By the by, Lucifer, you've said you were mere a tea seller before coming to this forest to better your fortune, but even without finding out the hidden treasure, how is it possible for you to have built such a palace, or rather "a palatial hut"?'
'Gentlemen, I thought you very intelligent but now I see there're very few people in the world who are as dull-headed as you two are. Why, don't you see how old the wall is? The whole building is a deserted palace. At first, we constructed a few huts near it on the other side, but we couldn't dwell in them long because of wild animals and natural calamities. Then, on one fine morning, my wife discovered this grand abode. Since the time we've been happily living here in it. Anyway, gentlemen, let's get in. Please hurry up--I'm getting late.'
Vedanand and I look askance at each other--should we?
Should we go inside? What do you say, my readers?