A Tale

A Tale

                   -B.P. Koirala

Summary:

Long long ago the gods fought with demons. The gods were afraid of defeat and they requested the human beings for help. The human beings were very ambitious and they requested the gods to take them to the heaven. The clever god told them to go to heaven through penance. But they sent the beautiful nymphs to destroy their penance and human beings could never go to the heaven.

At that time a young man realizes that Supreme knowledge and godhood was not possible in the crowd of people in the society. So, he went to the jungle made hut near a river and lived eating berries and drinking the river water. To win over his body, he sat before seven tongued fire in the hot summer and dived into the water in winter. During this meditation, he felt a great joy. Even the insects and animals didn't disturb his penance. He began to feel the brightness of the thousand suns inside him and seat of the heaven shook. so, Indra, the king of the Gods sent the most beautiful nymph to him. She took out her clothes and dived in the river excitedly. At the same time the sages eyes opened and saw the young beautiful naked nymph. His penance was destroyed. Then he began to relax with her. After some days he returned to the village with her. They made a house and worked like other villagers. They helped the villagers in whatever way they could. Bit villagers didn't forgive the sages downfall. They said that the characters woman was the cause of the sages downfall. However, the sage got the same bliss during his penance with the nymphs in the jungle and in the simple domestic life.

Interpretation:

The writer may be trying to show the importance of sex and domestic life. We can never get supreme knowledge and good hood by domesticating the sexual desires and escaping from the domestic life. We can experience a great joy in the married life. The writer also shows that if we can't control our senses, we can never reach our destination.

Critical thinking:

Although this story gives a moral lesson  still there are some skeptical ideas. Are there gods? Is so, what is the proof? How can human beings compete with Gods? Are the God also jealous like us? How can nymph marry a man and live in the society?  So, I am not fully convince.

Assimilation:

This story touched my heart. Before reading this story, I hated married life. I wanted to live single  and become the hermit to be happy. But this story changed my ideas: I know what happiness and supreme knowledge can found in the married life in the society.