Good Begets Good, Evil Begets Evil
A Tale of Two Brothers
Long, long ago, there lived in the land of Videha, a Brahmin named Viswanath Sharma. He had two sons, Pasupathi and Ganapathi. The family lived prosperously in the village that was given to them by the King.
As he lay on his deathbed, Viswanath Sharma divided his lands into two equal parts, bestowing one on each son. Ganapathi was a bright young man, while his brother Pasupathi was less academic. Ganapathi became a brilliant scholar whereas Pasupathi chose to master martial arts.
Choices and Consequences
One day, a friend of the family, also a well-respected Brahmin, questioned Pasupathi about his unconventional choice to lean more towards martial arts. In anger, Pasupathi retaliated with physical violence. The alarm was raised, eventually reaching the King who, despite sending a regiment, had difficulty arresting the fiery Pasupathi. Finally overpowered, Pasupathi was presented to the King.
Moved by his brother’s plea, the King decided to forgive Pasupathi but exiled him from the kingdom and confiscated his property.
A New Life and A Wise Tree
Forlorn but determined, Pasupathi moved to a dense forest, began farming, and worshipped a banyan tree present in the heart of his land. Misfortune struck again when a neighboring King’s army trampled his fields, destroying all his hard work. Nonetheless, he continued worshipping the banyan tree, which appeared in his dream one night, providing him with guidance and a magical spell.
The Land of Malwa
Following the banyan tree’s advice, Pasupathi journeyed to Malwa and gained the King’s favor by reciting the tree’s prayer and counsel. The King, pleased with his sincerity, appointed him a royal attendant.
A Desperate Queen
The King’s wife, Queen Malayavathi, secretly practiced magic arts and soon grew jealous of Pasupathi’s newfound favor. Having convinced the King to offer a human sacrifice under the guise of pleasing her Goddess, Malayavathi planned to get rid of Pasupathi. However, her scheme backfired, leading to the unintended sacrifice of the King’s son.
The Bitter Truth
On discovering his son’s tragic demise and the original intent to sacrifice Pasupathi, the grieving King decided to make amends by crowning Pasupathi as the King of Malwa. Overwhelmed by guilt and sorrow, the King and Queen both ended their lives in a burning fire. Thus, their violent actions visited upon them a fitting end, underscoring the truth that ‘Good begets good, and evil begets evil’.