A Strange Silence
A Strange Silence
It was dark and ominous that night, with fearful sounds echoing through the air. Jackals howled, and flashes of lightning illuminated unsettling faces. Intermittently, weird laughter could be heard in the distance.
Despite the unsettling atmosphere, King Vikram remained steadfast in his mission. He retrieved the corpse from the desolate tree and began to traverse the cremation ground.
The Vampire’s Warning
Suddenly, the vampire who possessed the corpse spoke, “O King, I trust you are not acting at the behest of any wicked individual. Should you do so, your life may be in jeopardy. Allow me to illustrate my point through an example.”
The Tale of the Hermit
The vampire began his story: Long ago, a hermit who was always on the move camped near a temple close to a city. The local residents soon believed him to be a great soul and approached him with various requests. The hermit offered blessings or, in few words, provided solutions to their problems.
One night, a man bowed before the hermit and said, “O great soul, I wish to undertake a profitable endeavor tonight. Please tell me the auspicious hour, and I promise to share a portion of my gain with you.”
The hermit revealed the time for the man’s endeavor, and the fellow left, elated.
However, the man was actually a burglar. That night, he infiltrated the home of a wealthy merchant and made off with a portion of his loot, which he later presented to the hermit. The next morning, the hermit generously distributed the wealth among the impoverished.
The Cycle of Greed
Days later, the burglar returned to the hermit, eager to know the ideal time for his next operation to ensure its complete success. The hermit once again shared the opportune moment, and the burglar departed with satisfaction.
That evening, the burglar broke into the king’s palace, escaping with a bagful of gold mohurs. He later placed a handful before the hermit, who again distributed the riches to the beggars.
Before long, news spread to the king that some beggars were attempting to exchange gold mohurs in the marketplace. They were arrested, and during questioning, they revealed that these mohurs had come from the hermit. Consequently, the hermit was summoned to the royal court.
The King’s Judgment
“Did you indeed distribute gold mohurs to beggars?” the king asked him. The hermit remained silent.
“It appears you are either a burglar or an accomplice in the guise of a hermit!” the king declared.
Yet, the hermit chose to remain silent. In his irritation, the king ordered his execution, and the sentence was carried out.
The Vampire’s Challenge
The vampire, with a challenging tone, asked, “O King, wasn’t it a grave injustice to execute the hermit? How could the king issue such an order? Why did the hermit remain silent? Was it because he benefited from the burglar’s gains? Answer me if you can, but if you remain mute despite knowing the truth, your head will roll from your shoulders!”
King Vikram’s Insight
King Vikram immediately responded, “The king and the hermit had entirely different perspectives. The hermit understood that every person is a blend of good and bad qualities and did not concern himself with the personal conduct of those seeking his blessings. His compassion led him to distribute all he received amongst the poor and to answer the burglar’s question. He did not consider the societal laws at play.”
“Had he wished, he could have discerned the burglar’s intentions through meditation, but he chose not to do so. If he failed to respond to the king’s inquiries, it was simply because he did not feel compelled to do so. He held no fear of death, thus he had no motivation to defend himself.”
“On the contrary, the king’s perspective was shaped by his role as guardian of society and defender of its laws. He was responsible for assessing conduct from a societal standpoint and applying the laws accordingly. Therefore, while the hermit’s actions aligned with his nature, the king’s actions aligned with his.”
As soon as King Vikram finished his explanation, the vampire, along with the corpse, vanished.