The Magic Gaskets
Dark was the night, and the sky was overcast with clouds. An eerie silence enveloped the area after a recent shower. Occasionally, this silence was shattered by the howls of jackals or the rumble of distant thunder.
With each flash of lightning, terrifying faces emerged in the shadows, appearing astonished by the king’s courage. However, these phantom figures dared not approach him.
Resolutely, King Vikram strode towards a lone banyan tree in the cremation ground. Ascending the tree, he retrieved a corpse and hoisted it onto his shoulder.
As he began walking with the corpse, the vampire haunting it spoke, “I wonder if you’ve undertaken this peculiar task at the request of some hermit, for hermits can be quite whimsical. Take Somadev, for example. His treatment of two kings was rather peculiar. Allow me to share the story, as it may provide you some comfort.”
The Tale of Somadev
The vampire continued: Somadev, a revered hermit, resided in a forest straddling the borders of two kingdoms. The kings Dhanadutta and Dhiradutta ruled over these neighboring lands. Although they competed in many endeavors, their respect for Somadev was unwavering. Whenever faced with significant challenges, both kings sought the hermit’s wisdom, which never failed to guide them correctly.
Typically, the kings visited the hermit separately; never had there been an occasion for them to approach him together. Their shared esteem for the hermit fostered a spirit of amicable rivalry between them.
One day, while hunting, the two kings crossed paths in the forest. Leaving their entourages behind, they decided to visit the hermit to pay their respects.
The hermit welcomed them warmly. “It is fortunate you came,” he said. “I am about to enter a trance that will last five years. During this time, you will not benefit from my guidance. However, here are two small caskets. Take one each.”
“Should you encounter a crisis beyond your capacity, open the casket. A solution will emerge. But be sure you exhaust all other possible remedies before doing so. If you misuse the casket, I will reclaim it when I awaken.”
Crisis and Choices
The kings graciously accepted the caskets and returned to their palaces. Soon after, both kingdoms faced a severe drought. Crops failed, and the populace descended into panic.
King Dhanadutta, in desperation, opened the hermit’s casket. A million gold pieces surged forth, and he used the wealth to purchase food from distant lands for his subjects, averting what could have been a catastrophic famine.
In contrast, King Dhiradutta refrained from opening his casket. Instead, he mobilized all available resources, dug wells and canals, and encouraged his people to cultivate new crops. Although his subjects faced hardships, the crisis subsided with the arrival of the monsoon, and all rejoiced.
As Dhanadutta sought to launch new initiatives to ensure his kingdom’s prosperity surpassed Dhiradutta’s, he opened his casket again. This time, he found a message: “Wait and see.” The following day, he met a stranger who proposed a machine to detect hidden minerals in his kingdom, demanding half of any discoveries.
Seizing this opportunity, Dhanadutta partnered with the stranger, uncovering vast mineral deposits.
The stranger soon approached Dhiradutta with the same offer, but Dhiradutta refused to comply with such terms.
The Hermit’s Return
Five years passed before the hermit emerged from his trance and visited both kingdoms. Observing Dhanadutta’s subjects flourishing and Dhiradutta’s subjects, though not unhappy, laboring diligently, the hermit called both kings to him, requesting their caskets.
Dhiradutta explained that he had never opened his casket, while Dhanadutta detailed his uses of it, concluding, “The results speak for themselves. My people are happy.”
To Dhanadutta’s surprise, the hermit demanded the return of his casket but permitted Dhiradutta to retain his.
The vampire then turned to King Vikram and asked, “O King, why did the hermit take back the casket from one who used it properly? Should you withhold the answer, your head will roll.”
King Vikram replied, “Dhanadutta misused the casket. He attempted to resolve the crisis through the casket before exhausting other options. While he provided food for his people, this approach dulled their initiative. In allowing the stranger to claim half of his land’s riches, he robbed future generations of their inheritance.
“Conversely, Dhiradutta kept faith that the casket would aid him only as a last resort. His confidence provided him strength. He refused to yield half of his kingdom’s resources for quick gain. Thus, he rightfully retains the casket.”
No sooner had King Vikram finished his explanation than the vampire, with its corpse, slipped away into the night.
