Vardaan 1...The Ultimate Boon

Chapter 22: Not Everyone's Friends Are Good (Part 1)

The year 1385, in evening Satsang....

"Six years ago, I had once again given the age-old knowledge of Gurukul to everyone here. Everyone had heard it but only one understood it. Shishyas, I have studied astrology. Astrology gives seventy to eighty percent correct predictions. But still, people are not able to take advantage of the prophecy for themselves. The reason is not learning from mistakes. And the biggest mistake is not to use the knowledge learned." the pradhanaacharya Deependra started his talk with these words.

The pradhanaacharya saw that no one understood anything special.

"Suppose the planets in your birth chart say that the coming two months may trouble you. Now it is clear that there will be trouble, what should you do now?" the pradhanaacharya asked while simplifying his point.

"We should make the least mistakes in the coming two months, using our full discretion." said fourteen-year-old Bharat Kumar, the rising new star of Uttarasaadhaka Gurukul.

The pradhanaacharya was very happy to hear the answer from Bharat Kumar. He checked everyone else's faces before moving on. When he felt that everyone understood, only then he was ready to move on.

"Absolutely right Bharat Kumar, but the reality is that no matter how well they do, the consequences are bound to be unpleasant. They put the blame for all their mistakes on the heads of the planets. Shishyas, this is simply called foolishness. On discovering the shortcomings, trying to rectify them is the sign of a sensible person." The pradhanaacharya continued.

Now everyone started to understand what pradhanaacharya was trying to say. Seeing that, the pradhanaacharya went ahead.

"Such wisdom was shown by our former student Batukeshwara. Six years ago, he heard all his shortcomings like a prophecy. Only after that, he made the best use of his learned knowledge. Although there were many other intelligent people present in that meeting, understanding came only to Batukeshwara." The pradhanaacharya simply put his point.

The pradhanaacharya Deependra had not blamed anyone, yet Jagdeesh, Dev, and Rasik bowed their heads after hearing that.

That day Batuk stood proud.

Some older boys were also feeling embarrassed who were part of that Satsang six years back.

Seth Batukeshwara was the center of attraction for the rest of the students. Their attention was on Gurudev's words as well as on Batuk. They were eager to hear the journey of a hero becoming a hero in front of them.

Batuk had returned to the past. His mind was reliving past events.

"Thank God you are safe. It was not going to take you this long, was it?" Seeing Batuk, his wife Swaraagini asked with a sigh of relief.

"All is well Swaraa," Batuk said caressing Swaraa's head.

Swaraa was shocked to see that. She could not remember the last time she had seen her husband so calm. Batuk's expression of sympathy by caressing her head with his hand was telling itself her husband was mentally so calm.

"Today is a very beautiful day. I don't know after many days I have seen a smile on your lips... It seems like all your troubles are over. Please say once that my stupid tongue unknowingly told the truth?" Swaraa said impatiently with slight hesitation.

"Why once... I will say again and again that every word that came out of your mouth is true." Batuk said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Batuk lovingly took Swaraa's hand and took her inside the hut.

"It seems as if my sleep of years has been broken. This hut is looking like a palace to me; you can imagine how nice I must be feeling?" Batuk spoke chirping.

While Batuk expressed the happiness of his conscience, Swaraa's happiness kept on disappearing.

Swaraa felt that her husband had taken some intoxicant because he was fed up with poverty. She went near him and started smelling him.

"No smell, what kind of intoxicant have you taken that doesn't smell?" When Swaraa asked changing her tone, Batuk laughed.

"The intoxication of truth, life partner... you tell me, can there be any intoxication bigger than that in the world?" Batuk said laughing with spread arms.

At that moment Swaraa was scared. She understood that Batuk was not talking nonsense because of intoxication. There was a shadow of some ghost on it.

Swaraa ran towards the stove and started searching for something.

"To avoid such evil spirits, I used to say that at least one God should be established in the house. But no, you have to obey all the words of the aacharyas. Who will explain to them that the ghosts are not in the Gurukul, but they wandered in the deserted places... What should I do now; I am not even getting the stupid chilies. The principles of Gurukul prevail in Gurukul only, worldliness prevails in the world. Oh, no one is ever benefited without worshiping God...What should I do now... I will ask the mistress and see if God fills her conscience with a little mercy?" Such words kept coming out of Swaraa's mouth.

When Swaraa, wandering restlessly like a ghost, started to go out, Batuk held her hand and hugged her to his chest.

Swaraa did not understand what Batuk was doing, because he always advised her to stay away from himself. A thought also came to her rapidly changing mind, "Bless the ghost who brought me near to my husband."

"Can you hear my heartbeats, Swaraa...Is it fast? No, not at all, it is calm because now there is no question or doubt in my mind. My questions are resolved and all the knots are opened. I understand how we fell to this extent. How we came from our big house to this shanty. I have found the origin of my troubles." Batuk said with great affection and leisureliness.

Just then Batuk's consciousness returned to the sound of applause. He remembered that he was standing in front of the students as well as the pradhanaacharya. He was ready to tell his story to everyone.

"Come, Batuk! Tell your story to your friends and guide them." The pradhanaacharya lovingly called Batuk to his place.