THE PRIVATE ADVISOR
THE PRIVATE ADVISOR
There is a path for the king
A path for the servant,
When both meet
Will sow the seed to suspicion
So understands the wise.
It was Ekadasi night, the eleventh day of the waning moon. The moon was a small crescent in the sky
faithfully following king Vikramaditya on his night sojourn. The king was venturing through the uncleared forest thickly laced with huge truncated ancient trees. Each one was standing clothed with dark barks like a sentry on guard. A myriad wild life was living jostled up in the protective trees coming alive at night. The cobras, owls, bats, sleuths, mongoose, wild buffoons were also out in their nocturnal sojourns. The king vikramaditya moved through this forest with a mind stilled with determination and purpose. Seeing his steady gait and fearless demeanor even wild animals stood back with respect allowing him to proceed on his way.
The king went to the ancient banyan tree, which housed the corpse he had come in search of, picked the corpse, laid it on his shoulders and started his journey back. As he moved a little further and reached the desolate cremation ground the vampire called Vetal showed its presence from the corpse and told king Vikram.
`O, Noble soul, you seem to know no defeat. Your never failing courage helps you to take such a risk and carry on your task. No doubt you are doing this under some bodies instructions. He may be intelligent and trust worthy now, but can you trust him forever?
Here let me relieve your tedious journey by telling you this story of king Sambavan who ruled the kingdom Parideep in the days of yore.
King Sambavan was a noble and virtuous king well versed in the duties and dharma of a just king. Among his personal servants was one Dilip who had been serving him for over a decade now. Dilip dark and well built was not only honest but also intelligent and wise. He knew the king well having served him so long. But he kept himself to his orderly duties and did not exhibit his intelligence with out being called for.
One day he came to serve a drink to the king in his private gardens where the king was relaxing. He found the king particularly in a pensive mood. He bowed and kept the drink in front of the king and enquired `Majesty are you not keeping well?’
Hearing the concern in his voice the king in a rare mood of confidence told Dilip to whom he had rarely conversed,
`There is nothing wrong with my health. But I have no peace of mind.’
` A bandit has entered our rajdhani. He has succeeded in breaking at many rich citizens houses and successfully looted the valuables. In spite of attempts by Raj sevaks there is no clue of him. Say if you were the king what you will do to catch him asked the king in a lighter vein’
Dilip thought for a while and replied `my lord, there is an abandoned temple at the outskirts of the city. What I suggest is you give an order for the temple ground to be dug spreading the news that a pot filled with ancient jewelry is buried under the ground. You must be careful to see the labors employed are all known and trust worthy. When the bandit will come to know of this there is every possibility he will come and join in the guise of a laborer. As the identity of rest of the laborers is known we can easily catch the intruder.’
Hearing this intelligent suggestion of Dilip the King was really surprised. He liked the idea. Soon he put it on trial. A group of trusted workers started digging the temple grounds. In a couple of days as predicted by Dilip two new laborers volunteered to join the workers. They were easily identified. When questioned vigorously it was found one was the bandit and other his assistant. Thus the bandit was caught by the clever plan suggested by Dilip.
The king was immensely happy at the turn of the events.
A month after the incident, the king was vexed with a new problem. Adjacent to his kingdom Paradeep was Parajay ruled by king Kaushik. A range of hills separated both the kingdoms. The king got the News the neighboring king was getting his army ready to attack his kingdom. Now the king was vexed as how to counter the attack successfully. As he was strolling his garden in deep concentration, he found Dilip watering the plants in the garden. He than remembered his previous council and called him out and confided his problem to Dilip and asked him`Tell me if you were the king what you would do?
Dilip answered after some contemplation `my lord in the range of hills separating the two kingdoms there is only one opening. We can position one of our battalion in the entrance. The enemy is sure to pounce on them first and attack them. They should concede easy defeat to the enemy. Now the enemy will assume it is easy to enter the kingdom and get victory. As they will enter our army should be positioned in the hills above ready to attack the entering soldiers. The enemy will prove than an easy target and can be touted with out much fight.
The king again was astonished and liked the strategy given by Dilip. He followed the plan and was able to soon defeat the enemies with out much loss from his side and the war ended easily. The king indeed was pleased by the events.
A couple of months passed. A new problem cropped up in the country. A big giant had come to occupy the forest in his country. He had taken to attack the passers by and kill them. He further claimed he is most powerful even the king is no match to him. Now the whole country was in unease. They could not cross the forest and move freely. Also the giant questioned the very supremacy of the king.
The king approached again Dilip with the problem as now he started depending on his council for every problem he was confronted with.
Dilip told him the ways to tackle the problem. Accordingly the king went alone in the jungles and met the giant face to face.
Seeing him coming unarmed like that, the giant got surprised asked `Who are you?’
`I am the king of the country. Who else but the king will have the courage to come unarmed like this.’
The giant believed him and asked `what you want?’
First I have come to fix a contract with you. As the ordinary citizens are put to great fear by your attacks in the forest, I thought I would send you every day two criminals whom you can kill and use for your meal. It should not matter to you if they are criminals or ordinary citizens. This way our people can move freely.
The giant was pleased by this trade, however he told,
` that is all right, I will consider that. What is the second matter you came to speak with me?
You have been proclaiming to one and all `you are mightier than me. Well it is not enough you state your supremacy. You have to prove it also.’
The giant now got curious and asked `What you expect me to do to prove my might?’
`There is a lake near by. Some bandits have buried a chest full of jewelry they had robbed from the palace. In spite of many attempts of my soldiers they have not been able to retrieve it. I will accept your supremacy if you dive down and get that chest from the lake’.
The giant was immediately provoked. He told this is not a difficult task to me. I will now only get the chest from under the lake bed. From than on you must be my slave and I will become the king of the country.’
So telling, the giant dived deep in to the lake near by. However the mud inside the lake was very slushy and sticky and the giant was caught in the mud and could not climb back. He slowly got drawn by the mud and finally sunk in to the lake and died.
Thus the king could get rid of the dangerous giant easily by tricking him. The king was again highly pleased by the turn of events.
Some more time passed. The king was confronted by yet another problem. He turned to Dilip with the problem
`I have just now received the report of corruption of some high officials in the government. What should I do in this juncture’ asked the king.
` I am only a mere servant in your palace. What I know of the ways to tackle these problems. Please excuse me sir’ and he then got along with his work.
The king looked grave. He looked at Dilip intend on his work of tending the vegetable garden of the palace.
`You have disobeyed me by not offering the right advice. I have planned to send you to the castle Panchamahal. It is in the midst of wilderness were the wild races who have been creating havoc are residing. I send the officers who have to be punished to the castle. I order you to go their take your charges. ‘ said the king sternly.
Dilip bowed before the king and accepted the orders.
Vetal finished the story. He paused for a while. Than addressed the king vikramditya, ` O! Virtuous king, stickler of discipline, I am aware you have an insight in to the human conduct, now you tell me your judgment as to the behavior of the king and his servant Dilip.
Why did the king choose to punish his sincere servant though many times he had given the right council beyond his call of duty? Was he whimsical?
Also tell me why Dilip acted in such strange way and refused to come forth with a solution to a problem even though he could have helped with his intelligence like other times?
If you choose to keep mum despite knowledge of the answers, suffice it is for me to warn you, your head would roll off your neck.
The king Vikram was his usual forthright self, he told
` The king far from being whimsical was very wise. He understood Dilips behavior and appreciated his earlier work. He wanted to reward him properly at the same time did not want the people to point out he had done any favoritism. As whatever transactions happened was between the king and the servant and others may not understand his action. Hence he send him to a far off country as an officer in charge and also to a place having problems to solve, as he knew the competency of Dilip.
Dilip did not give an answer to the king’s query for the last question as he realised the king was now becoming dependent on him for solving all the problems. This way he will loose the ability to think independently and besides it wont be honorable to know the king is depending on a mere servant to solve the States problems. Hence Dilip as intelligent he was, was also wise and refused to answer the king at the last instant.
No sooner the king vikram spoke the right words the Vetal repeated his vanishing trick and flew away to his abode in the ancient banyan along with the corpse.
There is a path for the king
A path for the servant,
When both meet
Will sow the seed to suspicion
So understands the wise.
It was Ekadasi night, the eleventh day of the waning moon. The moon was a small crescent in the sky
faithfully following king Vikramaditya on his night sojourn. The king was venturing through the uncleared forest thickly laced with huge truncated ancient trees. Each one was standing clothed with dark barks like a sentry on guard. A myriad wild life was living jostled up in the protective trees coming alive at night. The cobras, owls, bats, sleuths, mongoose, wild buffoons were also out in their nocturnal sojourns. The king vikramaditya moved through this forest with a mind stilled with determination and purpose. Seeing his steady gait and fearless demeanor even wild animals stood back with respect allowing him to proceed on his way.
The king went to the ancient banyan tree, which housed the corpse he had come in search of, picked the corpse, laid it on his shoulders and started his journey back. As he moved a little further and reached the desolate cremation ground the vampire called Vetal showed its presence from the corpse and told king Vikram.
`O, Noble soul, you seem to know no defeat. Your never failing courage helps you to take such a risk and carry on your task. No doubt you are doing this under some bodies instructions. He may be intelligent and trust worthy now, but can you trust him forever?
Here let me relieve your tedious journey by telling you this story of king Sambavan who ruled the kingdom Parideep in the days of yore.
King Sambavan was a noble and virtuous king well versed in the duties and dharma of a just king. Among his personal servants was one Dilip who had been serving him for over a decade now. Dilip dark and well built was not only honest but also intelligent and wise. He knew the king well having served him so long. But he kept himself to his orderly duties and did not exhibit his intelligence with out being called for.
One day he came to serve a drink to the king in his private gardens where the king was relaxing. He found the king particularly in a pensive mood. He bowed and kept the drink in front of the king and enquired `Majesty are you not keeping well?’
Hearing the concern in his voice the king in a rare mood of confidence told Dilip to whom he had rarely conversed,
`There is nothing wrong with my health. But I have no peace of mind.’
` A bandit has entered our rajdhani. He has succeeded in breaking at many rich citizens houses and successfully looted the valuables. In spite of attempts by Raj sevaks there is no clue of him. Say if you were the king what you will do to catch him asked the king in a lighter vein’
Dilip thought for a while and replied `my lord, there is an abandoned temple at the outskirts of the city. What I suggest is you give an order for the temple ground to be dug spreading the news that a pot filled with ancient jewelry is buried under the ground. You must be careful to see the labors employed are all known and trust worthy. When the bandit will come to know of this there is every possibility he will come and join in the guise of a laborer. As the identity of rest of the laborers is known we can easily catch the intruder.’
Hearing this intelligent suggestion of Dilip the King was really surprised. He liked the idea. Soon he put it on trial. A group of trusted workers started digging the temple grounds. In a couple of days as predicted by Dilip two new laborers volunteered to join the workers. They were easily identified. When questioned vigorously it was found one was the bandit and other his assistant. Thus the bandit was caught by the clever plan suggested by Dilip.
The king was immensely happy at the turn of the events.
A month after the incident, the king was vexed with a new problem. Adjacent to his kingdom Paradeep was Parajay ruled by king Kaushik. A range of hills separated both the kingdoms. The king got the News the neighboring king was getting his army ready to attack his kingdom. Now the king was vexed as how to counter the attack successfully. As he was strolling his garden in deep concentration, he found Dilip watering the plants in the garden. He than remembered his previous council and called him out and confided his problem to Dilip and asked him`Tell me if you were the king what you would do?
Dilip answered after some contemplation `my lord in the range of hills separating the two kingdoms there is only one opening. We can position one of our battalion in the entrance. The enemy is sure to pounce on them first and attack them. They should concede easy defeat to the enemy. Now the enemy will assume it is easy to enter the kingdom and get victory. As they will enter our army should be positioned in the hills above ready to attack the entering soldiers. The enemy will prove than an easy target and can be touted with out much fight.
The king again was astonished and liked the strategy given by Dilip. He followed the plan and was able to soon defeat the enemies with out much loss from his side and the war ended easily. The king indeed was pleased by the events.
A couple of months passed. A new problem cropped up in the country. A big giant had come to occupy the forest in his country. He had taken to attack the passers by and kill them. He further claimed he is most powerful even the king is no match to him. Now the whole country was in unease. They could not cross the forest and move freely. Also the giant questioned the very supremacy of the king.
The king approached again Dilip with the problem as now he started depending on his council for every problem he was confronted with.
Dilip told him the ways to tackle the problem. Accordingly the king went alone in the jungles and met the giant face to face.
Seeing him coming unarmed like that, the giant got surprised asked `Who are you?’
`I am the king of the country. Who else but the king will have the courage to come unarmed like this.’
The giant believed him and asked `what you want?’
First I have come to fix a contract with you. As the ordinary citizens are put to great fear by your attacks in the forest, I thought I would send you every day two criminals whom you can kill and use for your meal. It should not matter to you if they are criminals or ordinary citizens. This way our people can move freely.
The giant was pleased by this trade, however he told,
` that is all right, I will consider that. What is the second matter you came to speak with me?
You have been proclaiming to one and all `you are mightier than me. Well it is not enough you state your supremacy. You have to prove it also.’
The giant now got curious and asked `What you expect me to do to prove my might?’
`There is a lake near by. Some bandits have buried a chest full of jewelry they had robbed from the palace. In spite of many attempts of my soldiers they have not been able to retrieve it. I will accept your supremacy if you dive down and get that chest from the lake’.
The giant was immediately provoked. He told this is not a difficult task to me. I will now only get the chest from under the lake bed. From than on you must be my slave and I will become the king of the country.’
So telling, the giant dived deep in to the lake near by. However the mud inside the lake was very slushy and sticky and the giant was caught in the mud and could not climb back. He slowly got drawn by the mud and finally sunk in to the lake and died.
Thus the king could get rid of the dangerous giant easily by tricking him. The king was again highly pleased by the turn of events.
Some more time passed. The king was confronted by yet another problem. He turned to Dilip with the problem
`I have just now received the report of corruption of some high officials in the government. What should I do in this juncture’ asked the king.
` I am only a mere servant in your palace. What I know of the ways to tackle these problems. Please excuse me sir’ and he then got along with his work.
The king looked grave. He looked at Dilip intend on his work of tending the vegetable garden of the palace.
`You have disobeyed me by not offering the right advice. I have planned to send you to the castle Panchamahal. It is in the midst of wilderness were the wild races who have been creating havoc are residing. I send the officers who have to be punished to the castle. I order you to go their take your charges. ‘ said the king sternly.
Dilip bowed before the king and accepted the orders.
Vetal finished the story. He paused for a while. Than addressed the king vikramditya, ` O! Virtuous king, stickler of discipline, I am aware you have an insight in to the human conduct, now you tell me your judgment as to the behavior of the king and his servant Dilip.
Why did the king choose to punish his sincere servant though many times he had given the right council beyond his call of duty? Was he whimsical?
Also tell me why Dilip acted in such strange way and refused to come forth with a solution to a problem even though he could have helped with his intelligence like other times?
If you choose to keep mum despite knowledge of the answers, suffice it is for me to warn you, your head would roll off your neck.
The king Vikram was his usual forthright self, he told
` The king far from being whimsical was very wise. He understood Dilips behavior and appreciated his earlier work. He wanted to reward him properly at the same time did not want the people to point out he had done any favoritism. As whatever transactions happened was between the king and the servant and others may not understand his action. Hence he send him to a far off country as an officer in charge and also to a place having problems to solve, as he knew the competency of Dilip.
Dilip did not give an answer to the king’s query for the last question as he realised the king was now becoming dependent on him for solving all the problems. This way he will loose the ability to think independently and besides it wont be honorable to know the king is depending on a mere servant to solve the States problems. Hence Dilip as intelligent he was, was also wise and refused to answer the king at the last instant.
No sooner the king vikram spoke the right words the Vetal repeated his vanishing trick and flew away to his abode in the ancient banyan along with the corpse.
posted by Rama Venkataraman at 2:00 AM
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