365 Days- Book I

32. Re-Writing

August 1, 2018

"Take any poem or short story you find anywhere. Rewrite it in your own words."

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Once upon a time, there lived an orphan Brahmin boy who wanted to study the scriptures, and when he chanced upon a childless couple, where the husband was a learned Brahmin, he begged for a chance to be taught, in return for which he offered his services.

The wife took a liking to the young boy and the husband too was soon impressed by the boy's intelligence. A few years passed by in harmony, the couple so pleased with their adopted son that they no longer felt sorry for not having any children. It was then that the wife, much to her surprise and joy, discovered that she was pregnant.

Unfortunately, as the day of her delivery neared, the man had to travel to the nearby village, which he was not willing to do so but finally undertook the journey on reassurance of his son who promised that he would look after his mother.

The son paced the tiny garden outside the hut, from where he could here the moans of his mother and the stern commands of the midwife, and he prayed that there would be no danger to either the mother or child. It was at this moment that he saw an old man, of glowing complexion and a long glistening beard trying to enter the hut.

Furious that someone would dare encroach at such a time, the young boy rushed forward, grasped the old man's wrist and demanded, "Who are you, and how dare you enter the hut?"

The old man was startled, "How can you see me?"

"As plain as day, but that is not the answer to my question. Who are you and why are you sneaking in like a thief?"

The old man gave a weary sigh, in the eternal history of time, there were rare mortals who could glimpse him, "I am Brahma, and I have to be there when the baby emerges from the mother's womb, it is at the precise moment that my iron styles will inscribe the child's destiny."

The young disciple thought over it, though it sounded incredulous he had to admit that the old man did have an divine aura but he was not willing to concede so soon, "fine, I will let you go only on the condition that you will tell me what you have written for the child."

Lord Brahma, realising that there was no way out from this fix, agreed to the condition and true to his word came out a few minutes after the child was born, though his face was paler than before, for he knew that the child's destiny was a troublesome one. However, he was not going back on his promise so it was with a heavy heart that he told the disciple, "I am sorry, the young man, though he will grow up to be learned and respected, will have to live in poverty. All his life, however hard he works, however generous the people are to him, he will never own more than one bag of grains and one cow."

The young disciple was equally disheartened to hear what destiny had in store for his master's son but kept quiet for he realised there was nothing he could do and pushing his new found knowledge aside, focused on his studies and chores.

A few years later, history repeated itself, though this time it was an ashen faced Lord Brahma who mumbled the fate of the new born daughter, "she will be forced to live her life as a prostitute, selling herself to the highest bidder."

This shook the young disciple to the core and a few months later, he took leave of the elderly couple; they were not willing to let him go but could not deny his reasoning that he would have to leave them if he wished to pursue higher education. That was partly true, though the real reason was that he was growing quite attached to the children and it pained him to know the fate that awaited them.