The sun was preparing to take the final deep on the western horizon. The head priest, Mahant approached the main gate of the rampart. It was now time to close the gate to keep away the entry of ferocious animals into the compound. Looking back he made sure that all milch-cattle were inside. When he cast a last look outside the gate, his heart throbbed like a pounding machine. He couldn't believe his eyes.
About 200 meters away a Youth with loin-cloth was spreading his deer-hyde on a raised platform around a huge tree. The fury of the winter-wind had silenced all the sounds. The Mahant just rushed to that Boy, Who seemed to be in His adolescence. He caught the young Boy with his hand and said: "Come on, good Boy. This is the place for tiger to sit at night, not for men. There is dense jungle all around and the tigers are teeming here. Come on, before I close the gate."
The Boy freed his hand and said: "God has created the tiger. Why should they kill Me? They are My friends. And suppose death is My destiny, do you think your rampart can save Me from the clutches of death?"
"But I can't leave You to be killed like that," said the Mahant.
"And I too can't allow you to be killed by tiger. So rush back to the convent in the rampart and close the gate and leave Me to Myself."
"By the way, may I know Your name?"
"I have no name and I have innumerable names but at present I am known as Nilkanth Varni."
At this time a tiger roared from a distance and Nilkanth Varni pushed the Mahant and said: "Fly if you can, the tiger is on the way!”
And the Mahant, with closed fists ran into the convent after closing the gate of the rampart.
It was a full-moon night like that of December. The cold was more cruel than the teeth of a demon.
Night was sleepless for the Mahant. The window of his room was just opposite the place, where Nilkanth Varni was sitting under the tree. The Mahant saw that a tiger came near Nilkanth Varni Who welcomed him with loving words. The tiger rolled at the feet of Nilkanth Varni. Nilkanth Varni moved His loving hands on his back and he growled with love. Then Nilkanth Varni kept His head on the tiger's back and slept. Tremors quaked the body of the Mahant. He thought that the Boy must be a ghost or well-versed in black magic or else who would dare risk life thus? Sleep betrayed him and he kept awake all the night. In the first ray of the dawn he saw Nilkanth Varni giving a loving farewell to the tiger!
When the tiger left, he went to Nilkanth Varni and said: "If you stay here, I will bequeath my convent with all the treasures to You and appoint You my heir to the Gadi."
Shree Hari Said: "All the convents and all the treasures belong to Me. I am richer than the richest. I am the monarch of all I survey. However, o Mahant, I thank you for all your noble feelings for Me."
Shree Nilkanth Varni left singing ……
My kingdom has no horizons,
My power has no bars.
My entry has no fence around,
My home is above the stars.
He knows Me who worships Me,
With actions, thoughts and speech.
I love such persons as My dearest,
Who are in virtues rich.
No comments:
Post a Comment