புதுக்கவிதையின் தோற்றமும் வளர்ச்சியும் !

                                              SAABA VIMOSANAM

                                                                     (REDEMPTION)

Description:

Ø  This story translation is the second Digital Assignment for Applied Tamil .

Ø  Tamil short story  is very difficult to translate in English .

Ø  Because in Tamil short stories we have lot of words some words we are able to translate but few words we are unable to translate from Tamil to English.

Ø  In this story such words required to be translated into the nearest modern English words only.

Ø  An English translation of Puthumaippithan's "SAABA VIMOSANAM" is REDEMPTION.

Introduction

                            Viruththaacalam, popularly known by his pseudonym as Puthumaippiththan, (1906-1948), was a journalist by profession and was closely connected with such leading journals as ThinamaNi, Thinacari and MaNikkoTi. Within a short period of his journalistic career, from 1930 to 1946, he produced two hundred or more short stories, a small novelette, three one-act plays, a book of poems and about 50 translations of short stories written by Western and Eastern writers. Also, a considerable number of articles on various topics like literature, art, short stories, modern poetry, politics, reviews and criticisms have been written by him. From his articles a selection has been published under the title Puthumaippiththan KATTURAIKALH.

Puthumaippiththan’s Verses

                         This paper is concerned mainly with a detailed analysis of his stories. His contribution to other fields such as poetry and essay has also come under the review of critics, and critics are divided in their opinion regarding their quality. A close friend of Puthumaippiththan, Mr. Rakunhaathan, in his preface to Puthumaippiththan Kavithaikalh labours rather painfully to extol and to bring out the salient features of his poems and by that process formulates his own theory of prosody and poetics. However, impartial critics would agree that Puthnmaippiththan tried a new form of poetry quite alien to Tamil tradition and failed miserably in his attempt. His poems have neither a similarity to blank verse nor a resemblance to metrical composition in Tamil. But these poems, no doubt, reveal the author's passion for novelty: novelty in the approach and in the handling of the subject matter and form.

Puthumaippiththan’s Translations

                                  Since Puthumaippiththan  was a journalist for a considerable part of his life one would naturally expect him to be an able translator. Must of  translations he had done during this period were items for the Tamil  dailies and as such it is now rather difficult to assess their standard. Nevertheless, the short stories he translated from English into Tamil, numbering about fifty in all, in between the period of his journalistic career and the period of his active literary production, provide the opportunity to estimate their quality.

                                 His experience in Tamil journalism, no doubt, helped him a great deal to master the mechanics of the language and therefore made it easier for him to translate stories in an easy flowing style. This is not enough to translate a story, because short story writers, if they are really so, have mastered the art of implication so well that they convey a great many things on paper without stating them at all. To bring out this essential aspect and to convey the spirit of the story while translating into Tamil, Puthumaippiththan formulated a new staccato slickness of style, eliminating so much of what had been considered essential literary paraphernalia. In addition to this, his innate genius in writing short stories gave his translations a marvellous lucidity and straightforwardness. Therefore, one almost forgets while reading his translated short story collections, for example, Ulakaththuc Citukathaikalh  that they are translations, and regards them as original works.

REDEMPTION – an English translation of Pudhumaipithan’s ‘Saaba Vimosanam’ (சாப விமோசனம்)

A word before translating ‘Saaba Vimosanam’: I have never dared to translate Pudhumaipiththan’s never-to-be-forgotten short story “Saaba Vimosanam ” (சாப விமோசனம்) into English. His ‘jumping-style’ of writing with sharp syntax and generous usage of Sanskrit and archaic Tamil words are indeed difficult to translate. Many of such words required to be translated into their nearest modern English words only. This might give an impression that Pudhumaipiththan’s eloquence is not adequately reflected in this translation. This happens with every translation- ‘a necessary evil’. Daring to do such a translation, at least, by a person like me will be nothing but a blatant presumptuous attempt. With the limitations of my vocabulary in English and exposure to class translations I should not have considered this enterprise with certainty.

However, I could not resist it doing it for two reasons. Firstly it is just a sheer literary attempt to bring the soul of this immortal short story as much as near to its original and thus deriving a sort of personal satisfaction of having done something which is not a mean feat in my scale of literary understanding and secondly the readers outside Tamil speaking community ought to know something about the literary genius of iconoclastic Pudhumaipithan. Though this story alone will not be sufficient to prove this point, it will definitely oblige the serious readers to turn their attention towards him. If it happens, it could be the highest level of individual contentment as a translator. This is merely an introductory translation. The concerns this story raises and tries to address deserve an in-depth research. Its literary merit is absolutely unmatched in its genre. Read his another story named “Akalya” for understanding this story better. 

I have selected the word “Redemption” after carefully scrutinizing similar such words. I think that this word gives the nearest meaning of “Saaba Vimosanam”. Readers who are familiar with Pudhumaipithan and translation works in general are sincerely requested to send their constructive comments.
                                                                   *****

(Those who are familiar with Ramayana may not understand, even may not like this story. I am not bothered about it- Pudhumaipithan)

Part- 1

A stone statue on the road. Perfectly sculpted, voluptuously built capable of inspiring vitality even in the weakened aging muscle groups; one which creates an extent of exaltation that a brilliant sculptor had taken his birth on this earth just to sculpt all his dreams into a stone such as this one. But there was a grief in her eyes-an inexplicable one-floating around killing the carnal desire of lust of who see it and made them poignant too. That day it was the magnificent dream of the sculptor; Result of curse; she was the one, Akalya.

As a melancholy sculpted in stone on the path in wild she is lying on the lap of nature which is witnessing her misery like a sage with indifferent eyes. The Sun shines. The snow falls. The rain descends. Dust, grunge, sparrows and owls sit upon it. They fly away. She is standing like an unconscious penitent- as a stone.

There was a termite mound nearby. Being absorbed in meditation Gautama, absolving his consciousness and oblivious of his misery, was in penance. Nature treats him too with the same indifference.

Just like their family that fell down without support, the roof of their hut which gave them shelter too fell down without pillars, moth eaten, became nothing and merged with the wind. Walls too were on their last legs. Remnants were only the sand mounds. It was looking like a scar of distress that had crept into their heart.

At a distance, the clattering of Ganga was heard.  Mother Ganga, does she know about their boundless sorrow?

Many such eras passed by, for the couple.

One day….

The pre noon Sun light was slightly harsher, though. However the green creepers, their shadow and tenderly flowing wind delicately gave a sort of icy touch to the heart like a religious philosophy which tries to obstruct the miseries of this world and offers hope and strength.

Viswamitra walks around majestically like a lion pondering over the success at the completion of the task he undertook. Whereabouts of Mareesan and Shubaagu is not known. Thadaaka, the aged torment has been eliminated. He found a solace in being an instrument of giving peace to people who are involved in inquiry of righteousness through meditation and performing Yagnas.

He frequently turns back. What sort of kindness in his eyes! Two children are playing around. They are no one else; they are Ram and Lakshman-children of incarnation. After initiating the decimation of Asuras, they are playing around without understanding its responsibility.

Their running springs up the dust. Lakshman is running in front. The one chases him is Ram. The layer of dust falls upon the sculpture….

What an enthusiasm can it be? - Viswamitra turns back enthrallingly and looks at. He remains standing and looking at…..

The layer of dust falls upon the sculpture.

The heart which had once stopped and turned into a stone starts palpitating again inside the sculpture. The blood which stopped abruptly at one place and clotted to become stone starts to flow once again. The heat of life spreads across the stone and it becomes a ball of flesh. Consciousness is regained.

Akalya closes her eyes and then opens. She becomes conscious. Redemption! Redemption!

O God! This polluted group of flesh has become consecrated.

Who is the divine being who came over to offer me a new leash of life again? Is it that child?

She prostrates herself before him. Ram looks at the sage astonishingly.

Viswamitra could understand everything. She is Akalya. The innocent girl cheated by Indra in impersonation. She the one who polluted her body after being cheated by his impersonation due to her insurmountable love for her husband; Wife of Gautama. He tells everything to Ram. There stands a termite mound. Gautama is there in meditation completely oblivious of self like a maggot in silent penance inside the egg of web. Ahh…he himself has got up!!

The eyes that have just opened after penance are rolling like a sharpened knife. Indurated body full of Strength as if being toned by arduous exercises. Majestically yet hesitatingly he comes near like a person who is still unable to release himself from the disgrace of woman.

The same web of misery again? The mind did not think how the life would be after redemption. Now it has encircled his life like a mammoth fortification. His mind too becomes feeble with fear. 

Ram’s education looks at the things with the eyes of righteousness. It wears the light of clarity. But it has not yet been sharpened at the pedestal of experiences. Vashita’s preaching, one that ensured every thread of life’s complexities interlaced with each other intact from breaking. But his is the one which is unaware of meanness. The one which offers strength to intellect to walk through a new path.

The nature of this world unfairly gets one sided and troubles us! Why the punishment was meted out to the character for an action when it was not under the control of mind and urge driven by the body. O! Mother…! cries Ram and falls on her feet.

Both the sages (one who considers courage as knowledge; other considers compassion as the basis of righteousness) take delight in the opinions expressed by the boy from his angle of thought. How much light, full of love and courageous truth it is!

“It is apt for you to accept her for she has not committed any sin from her heart” –tells Viswamitra slowly.

His coarseness of argument shows a tinge of difference in savor in the damp air.

Gautama, his wife and the sand mound without pillars have not gone away from the place. The signs of life assiduously set where there was no life once.

All the forces that came to change the course of affairs like flog of a whip had gone away. Should not they go to Mithila at least by evening? Nuptial bonds, invite us stretching out its two hands!

Gautama could not speak to her as normally as he used to do earlier without caginess. The way he burnt her with the word ‘prostitute’ that day seems to have burnt his tongue too. What to speak? What to speak?

“You need anything?” asked Gautama. The power of all his intellect that was discarded in the swirl of emotions ejected that meaningless word.

“I am hungry” replies Akalya, like a child.

Gautama brought some fruits from the orchard nearby. The desire and compassion in his actions found at the time of his marriage are nevertheless reflected now in the actions and hesitations of his fingers.

“Even that marital bond is blossomed after the inner compassion has sprung out, yet it is based on cheating any way. The one snatched away after encircling a holy cow” –Gautama’s mind again burnt itself by shifting its thought.

Akalya is relieved of hunger.

There was a complete kindness in their heart. But they are struggling in their respective domain of thoughts.

Whether she is any longer fit to be Gautama’s wife –this is Akalya’s concern.

Whether he is any longer fit to be Akalya’s husband- this is Gautama’s concern.

Part -2

As wanted, desired by Akalya, Gautama constructed hut, away from the ramparts of Ayothya fort on the banks of Sarayu river, at a distance where the intervention of human beings is nonexistent and involves himself in inquiry of righteousness. Now Gautama fully believes Akalya. Even if she is lying on the lap of Indra, he would not suspect her fidelity. He believes in that she is chaste to that extent. Without her errands, he is fully aware that he would not be able to continue his inquiry of righteousness smoothly.    

Akalya nurtured him with the love that cannot be fathomed by heart. The moment she thinks about him her mind and parts of body would brim with kindness of a newly married bride. But, the stone ascended into her heart has not yet been removed. She wanted to behave in such a manner so that others would not suspect her; so that she would not give space for others to gaze at her even inadvertently. Due to this, her natural behaviour vanished and temperament changed. Everyone around her appeared as Indras. Persistent fear ascended Akalya’s heart. The way she speaks and her playfulness were nowhere to be found. She would speak a word only after repeatedly practicing it for thousand times, memorizing it and scrutinizing it from different angles. She would get anxious even when Gautama utters ordinary words that there might be some inherent meaning to it.

The life has become hell for her.

One day Mareesi came. A day before Thatheesi came. On his way to Varanasi Madhanka too peeped into to meet Gautama. Despite their talk full of compassion and kindness, Akalya’s body was lacking pride; her mind felt inferior. It seemed that even hospitality to be extended to the guests would go out of her hand due to this. Her eyes were ashamed of looking at people at their face even if they look at her normally. She hid herself inside the hut.

The philosophical inquiry of Gautama took a new turn now. The barriers of righteousness are meant only for who are conscious of their misdeeds; even if the entire human race faces extinction due to some mistakes committed without self consciousness it is not a sin at all; attachment of mind and the actions with conscious involvement only are the factors of impurity. Sitting in the hut arranged by others again which was once flattened, Gautama turned his thoughts to this direction. Akalya was wandering as a pure soul in his mind. He is only no longer fit; the fire of curse from his anger has just made him defiled, he thought.

Sometimes, Ram and Sita used to come by that way in chariot for merriment. The child of incarnation, he has grown into a youth of aspiration in the mind of Gautama. His smile and playfulness have become the perennial lamps of Dharma Sastra. What is the relationship between these young couple? It reminded Gautama of his earlier life.

Sita is just like a pigeon for Akalya who came to her to bring down the heaviness of miseries in mind. It seemed to Akalya that the speech and smile of Sita were cleansing the dirt from her. When only Sita comes, the lips of Akalya would move with smile. Rapture in eyes would show an emerging light.

Are they not the kingly aspirations being brought up under the aegis of Vashista! They have been nurturing an earlier happiness in two people who live in two different worlds on the banks of Sarayu river.

Akalya did not like to go out to see various places. The proximity of Sita only gave her a bit of strength and reduces the worries from her heart.

She has agreed to participate in the coronation ceremony at Ayothya. But what a power that the swirl of emotions she experienced at the palace! At a single breath, Dhasaratha’s life was taken away; Ram was chased into the forest; Pushed Bharatha into Nandigram village with tears and distress.

Everything happened and came to an end just like an indomitable force which cannot be fathomed by human ability, with all its magnificent speed, played its game of chess to its fullest.

Vashishta, with all his alertness, just to establish an empire as a sign human righteousness brought them up under his closest supervision. All his calculations were shattered and got reduced to a dim light from a lamp burning at Nandigram Village.

It can well be said that the hut on the banks of Saryu river was flattened once again. All the inquiry of righteousness of Gautama was also plumaged in the devilish wind that flew across. The mind was emptied as the hope dried up.

For Akalya? If her grief is measured, it will not be confined in words. She could not understand anything. She became frail and tired. Ram went to the forest. His younger brother too followed him. Sita too had gone. She felt as if the darkness once occupied her heart when she was a stone has now filled the heart. However, the consciousness of the heaviness of her heart was simply unbearable.

At dawn, after completing his morning chores of chanting mantras, Gautama came out of the river and entered the hut.

Akalya moved her lips as she went to him with a bowl of water to wash his feet.

“I could no longer stay at this place? Why can’t we go to Mithila?”

“Okay. Get ready. It has been since long we met Sathananda” told Gautama and went out.

Both of them started walking towards Mithila. A sort of heaviness got ascended their heart. Gautama stood for a while.

He caught hold of the hands of Akalya who was coming behind him; then resumed his walk; “fear not” he said.

Both of them walked together towards Mithila.

Part 3

It was dawn. Both of them are walking on the banks of Ganga.

Someone was standing in the river and chanting Gayatri mantra with sonorous voice.

Till the chanting was over, the couple was waiting on the bank.

“Sadhanantha….” called Gautama.

“O father…mother” he outpoured his heart filled emotions in words and prostrated.

Akalya embraced him with her pouncing heart. How else has this child, Sadhanantha become an outsider with beard, moustache like a sage?

The divinely exquisiteness of his son comforted Gautama.

Sadhanantha took both of them inside the hut.

After arranging facilities for their refreshment, he set out for Janka’s palace of philosophical discourse.

Gautama too set out accompanying him. His son too liked to take his father along with him. He just hesitated due to the consideration of his thicker blood for his father as it was a long and tiring journey. Is the muscle group that did not weaken itself at the onslaught of era long meditation going to be weakened by this simple walking? He started his journey behind him. His son wanted to taste the new course of his father’s philosophical inquiry.

While walking along the streets of Mithila, Gautama saw that the same mental fatigue and grief felt at 

Ayothya has spread its influence here too. The sudden bout of his sigh got merged with the wind.

People pass by. Come by. Look after their works. Everything goes on like a well designed scheme. No grip over affairs is felt; attachment is absent.

The walk of an elephant carrying the holy water is void of spirit. The face of the priest accompanying it does not show any sign of gladness of divinity.

Both of them entered the debate hall of the king. An ocean of people has had filled in the court. Gautama wondered how philosophical research is possible at this market place. What he thought was wrong, though.

Janaka saw these two.

At once he came down running and attended the sage with all hospitality and asked him to sit beside him.

There was an indication of grief in Janka’s face as well. However, there was no heaviness in his speaking. It showed that his mind has not lost its balance.

Gautama hesitated slightly as to what else to speak.

“Vashishta has failed to erect an outlet to emotions when he built the kingdom” said Janaka stroking his beard.

The words of Janaka touched the nerves.

“Truth is born from the swirl of emotions only” told Gautama.

“Even misery is also born if one does not know how to use emotions. When you desire to build a kingdom, you should spare a place for that too. Otherwise, there will be no kingdom” Janaka told.

“It is yours?” Gautama raised his doubt.

“I am not ruling. I am just trying to understand the rule” Janaka replied.

Both of them were silent for a while.

“What kind of philosophical discourse is yours?” asked Janaka gently.

“I have not yet started. I have to try to understand it only after this. Riddles arrest all the outlets of flood with obscurity” Gautama told and got up.

From next day on wards, he did not go to Janaka’s hall. Many a riddles stand as high as Himalaya in his knowledge. He sought loneliness. But he did not go after it. Akalya’s heart should not break anyway.

Next day, Janaka asked with curiosity “ Where is Muneeswar?”

“He is spending his time under Ashok Tree standing in front of our hut” Sadhanantha replied.

“In meditation?”

“No. Just in thinking”

“Waves have not yet subsided” Janaka slowly murmured within himself.

                                                                          **

Akalya was very much fond of taking bath in river. At dawn itself she used to go to Ganga with a pot thinking that there would be peace on its banks.

She used to bring water after taking bath in the river with a sort of solace by letting the tender creepers of her heart to spread themselves on their own for a couple days with a peace of mind.

It did not last for long.

After taking bath with her head bent down she was coming contemplatively.

The sound of toe rings was heard in front. Might be the wives of some sages! They are also coming down to river to take bath. They ran away after seeing her as if she was a Sudra. They just stared at her sternly and left.

“She is the one… Akalya” – words were audible even from distance. Those words burnt her more than the fire of curse that furiously flared up in Gautama’s abdomen that day.

Her heart was all at once burning like a cremation ground. Her thought process got dissembled. “O My God! Even there is redemption from the curse, will there not be redemption from sins?” weeping Aklaya thought.

She served food to Gautama and Sadhanantha like a women made of machine. “Son has become an outsider; outsiders too have become enemies; for what the hell should we be here?” this was the question hit her heart repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Gautama too suddenly put a morsel of food in his mouth and delved into thoughts as if he had attained his consciousness.

The heaviness caused by their restless mind suffocated Sadhanantha as well.

In order to reduce the burden, Sadhanantha told “ Athiri rishi has come to see Janaka. He is coming here after meeting Akasthiya rishi. He is on his way to Himalaya. Ram and Sita worshipped Akasthiya. Akasthiya told the couple to stay there as it was a good hermitage. It is understood that they are staying there only”

“Why can’t we undertake a pilgrimage?” asked Akalya slowly.“Let us go” Gautama got up all of a sudden.“Now itself?” asked Sadhanantha.

“Does it matter when it is?” Gautama collected his ‘Kamandals’ and looked up the entrance.

Akalya followed him. Sadhanantha’s heart sank in fire. 

Part 4

It was dusk and the signs of the day got faded. Along the banks of Sarayu River, both of them are going towards Ayothya.

Fourteen years have just passed and merged with the flood of time. There were no sages who they had failed to meet. There were no sacred places which they had not visited. But they did not have peace of mind yet.

They worshipped Mount Kailash standing upon snow clad peaks which are not accessible to the legs of people lacking strength like the temple of thought of Shankar which is not accessible to the intellect of weak people.

They crossed the desert that wore a metaphor of their burden of misery, utter hopelessness.

They came around magma spitting Volcanoes and passed them which are burning just like their heart.

They returned from the ocean of which waves are tirelessly ebbing its shore just like their restless mind.

They crossed undulated landscapes which were just looking similar to their path of life.

“Ram would return in a few days. At least after this, our life will have new birth”- this longingness only drew the couple to this place.

They reached the place where their hut was lying down trampled which they once constructed fourteen years ago.

Gautama somehow repaired the hut and made it fit for staying overnight. When the work was completed, star of dawn was visible in the sky.

Both of them returned from Sarayu river after taking bath in it.

Akalya started attending her husband. Both of their hearts invited the day when Ram and Sita were expected to arrive well in advance. However, is it possible to cross the rules designed by the scope of time other than mind?

One day Akalya had gone to take bath in the early morning.

Before her, a widow was returning after taking bath. She could not identify who it was. But the one came in opposite direction identified her. She came to her running and prostrated in front of Akalya.

It was Queen Kaikeyi. She had become a lonely saint without any of her entourage anymore!!

Placing her pot down, she lifted Kaikeyi and made her stand. She could not understand Kaikeyi’s actions.

“At the frenzy of righteousness, Bharata had forgotten to give me a place in his heart” Kaikeyi told.

Her voice did not show signs of anger expressively. There was no soaring fury either. The Kaikeyi she was thinking was different one; the one she is seeing now is completely different one. Akalya only saw the heart which is in search of a supportive creeper.

Both of them walked towards Sarayu river without even removing their hand from embrace.

“Who is responsible for the Bharata’s obdurate righteousness?” asked Akalya. A beam of kindest smile appeared at the corner of her lips and quietly vanished.

“If the fire accidentally caused by a child burns a village, can we afford to kill the child” –replied Kaikeyi.

Akalya thought that it was necessary to put a fence in between the child and fire. “But whatever is burnt is burnt anyway” Akalya told.

“Is it right to sit beside the heap of ashes without cleaning place burnt with fire” – Kaikeyi said.

“The one who removes the ashes is going to arrive in a couple of days. Is it not?” Akalya said.

“yes”- Kaikeyi replied. There was a complete contentment in her voice. Bharata was not the one who was expecting Ram. It was Kaikeyi.

Next day when she met Akalya, she was pale. Her heart was broken.

“We have sent spies to search for Ram in all directions. No signs of Ram. How would they come within forty 

‘Nazhigai’? Bharata is going to jump into the fire. He is preparing ‘Akni kund’- Kaikeyi said.

Her speech showed her conviction of belief that Bharata prepared himself to be burnt just to expiate the sins of desire for kingdom which was befallen upon him.

Keeping silence for while, Kaikeyi told “I will also fall into the fire. But alone, secretly” Her mind spewed determination.

Even after fourteen years, the same swirl of emotions again! Has not the curse that fell upon Ayothya been redeemed yet?

Akalya’s heart ran at a loose end. She started suspecting that it was all because of her curse.

“Can’t we ask Vashishta to stop him” asked Akalya.

“Bharata obeys righteousness only. Not Vashishta” -answered Kaikeyi.

“The righteousness which does not obey the human beings is nothing but an enemy to the human race itself” Akalya bounced with anger.

A tinge of desire that Bharata might obey her husband’s words. Her fear was that the wheels of misery should not start rolling in Ayothya.

Gautama agreed. But nothing happened with his words.

The God of fire (Akni) did not like to swallow Bharata. Hanuman arrived. The fire got extinguished. The sorrows of all directions became a momentous frenzy. Righteousness ruled everywhere.

An invisible smile at the back of Vashishta’s moustache danced at the fact that even after fourteen years his dream would come true.

In the background of this frenzy of pleasure, Gautama returned thinking that he did not have anything more to do.

Akalya was at the peak of her happiness that Ram and Sita would come to meet her. Ram and Sita came to her without their entourage after the commotion caused by enticement was over.

The forehead of Ram who descended the chariot bore the signs experience. Sita’s shine was due to experience that blossomed. Harmonization of both of their smile proffered the taste of heaven.

Gautama took Ram for a stroll.

Akalya led Sita inside the hut with the compassion sprang out for a child who was reared up inside her womb.

They were sitting with smile facing each other.

Sita told her everything- how Ravana abducted her, miseries and rescue without making it overtly melancholic. 

After coming to Ram, how can she have misery?

She narrated ‘Akni Pravesh’ (Jumping into the fire). Akalya became enraged.

“Did he ask for it? Why did you do it” she asked Sita.

“He asked me. I did it” Sita replied calmly.

“Did he ask?” Akalya shouted. Frenzy of Kannaki danced in her mind.

One justice for Akalya, another one for him?

Was it not cheating? Is the curse of Gautama a justice that was born with blood?

Both of them remained silent for a long time.

“Don’t I have to prove myself to the world? – Sita smiled vaguely telling this.

“If the heart knew about it, was it not enough? Can we ever prove truth to the world? Akalya retaliated. Words dried up.

“Even if you prove it, will it become truth if it does not touch the core of your heart?. Anyway stop it. Where is the world anyway?” asked Akalya.

Voices from outside were heard. They have returned.

Sita came out to go to the palace. Akalya did not come.

Ram’s heart burnt. The dust fell upon his feet burnt him.

Chariot rolled on. The sounds of wheels became thinner.

Gautama delved into thoughts, standing. He saw a “zone of Tirisanku” hanging without being able to fix itself anywhere.

A new lightening idea came over the cave of his mind and died instantly. To bring back the earlier intimacy by reducing the burden of heart, why can’t we beget a baby? Won’t the tender fingers of the child bring down the burden of heart?

He entered.

Akalya was in state of lost consciousness. Again the stage for Indra. The Indra drama that must be forgotten. It was running on the screen of her mind.

Gautama embraced her.

It seemed to her that it was Indra’s impersonation in the form of Gautama. Her heart got indurated further. What a peace!

A stone statue was lying on the hands of Gautama.

Akalya became stone once again.

The burden of heart finally died.

                                                                      ****

A man was walking towards Mount Kailash traversing fast the desert of ice. His heels were hardened with the callous of dejection.

He was Gautama.

He became a saint.

                                               *****  Ended *****