The Strange Secret
King Vikram braved the dark and stormy night and returned to the haunted tree in the cremation ground. He climbed it fearlessly, brought down the hanging corpse, and began walking with the corpse on his shoulder. Jackals howled, and from time to time, the eerie laughter of spirits echoed through the night.
A Surprising Encounter
The vampire that possessed the corpse suddenly observed, “O King, you certainly hope to gain some unusual power at the end of your labors. If you acquire such power, I hope you won’t pass it on to an undeserving person as Viswavarma did with the power he mastered. Allow me to narrate to you the story of Viswavarma; it might lighten your arduous task.”
The Tale of Viswavarma
In days gone by, there was a young man named Viswavarma, who was deeply interested in the occult. While roaming about in the Himalayas, he met a yogi who possessed strange supernatural powers. Viswavarma managed to please him, and the yogi taught the young man a secret by which one could double oneself and move about as two beings.
“My boy! You must not impart this secret to anybody unless you are sure that your action will serve the people,” said the yogi. Viswavarma took an oath never to do otherwise.
A Test of Morality
Viswavarma wandered from kingdom to kingdom, demonstrating his strange feat in royal courts and earning both fame and wealth. While he was in the capital of Kalinga, the king requested, “Kindly pass on your secret to me. I have dedicated myself to the service of the people and if I could duplicate myself, I could serve them much better, for my kingdom is vast.”
Viswavarma was in a fix. He knew that the king served his people sincerely, but he was not entirely sure if teaching the king to duplicate himself would be a direct service to the people.
A Princess in Distress
“My lord, kindly allow me to reflect on your request. If I deem it fit to impart the secret to you, I will return within six months,” said Viswavarma. He then moved on to a neighboring kingdom where his feat was hailed as the most marvelous wonder the people had ever known. In the evening, the princess sent for a private audience with him.
When they met, she said, “O great performer, please listen to my problem. Fascinated by my beauty, the princes of two neighboring lands are vying for my hand in marriage. Both are far more powerful than my father, and the day my father consents to one, the other will attack our kingdom. O yogi, the solution is in your hands. Teach me the science of becoming two, so that both princes can be satisfied.”
A Bandit’s Request
Viswavarma replied, “If I think it right to impart the science to you, I will return here three months later.” After dazzling the court of the King of Kashmir, he was invited to the home of the royal physician who said, “I have to see numerous patients from both the king’s family and the nobility. It would be much more convenient for me to attend to them if I could duplicate myself!”
Viswavarma promised to let him know his decision in three months. He then visited another kingdom under attack by a notorious bandit named Durdanda. After delighting the audience with his feat in the king’s court, he was confronted by Durdanda at night.
“I’m Durdanda, the bandit. I was in the crowd when you demonstrated your miracle. Now, be quick and pass on the secret. If you don’t, I will leave, but not before killing you,” he threatened.
A Dangerous Bargain
Viswavarma paused to reflect on the situation. “But, tell me, Durdanda, how will you benefit from this?” he asked. The bandit replied, “I have a great desire to plunder the royal treasury. My job will be easier if I were two!”
“I will teach you the necessary hymn, but only if you agree to give me one-fifth of what you acquire. Remember, whoever practices this miracle must not ever utter a lie; otherwise, the hymn won’t work,” warned Viswavarma. Durdanda agreed to the terms but dismissed the condition about honesty, thinking he could avoid lying until he plundered the treasury.
The King’s Wisdom
Viswavarma taught the hymn to the bandit, who tested it and found that it worked. The bandit offered a precious diamond to Viswavarma, who refused to accept it. The next morning, Viswavarma privately informed the king about the bandit’s plan and then left the kingdom.
The vampire paused, adopting a grave tone, and asked, “O King, why did Viswavarma refuse to teach the hymn to the King of Kalinga, whose only interest lay in serving the people, yet readily agreed to teach it to the bandit? Was it out of fear of being killed or from greed for a share of the loot? Why did he reject the diamond and leave without waiting for a share?”
The Truth Revealed
The king answered, “Viswavarma knew that if teaching the hymn to the bandit could help capture him, it would be the most direct service to the people. He likely feared for his life, but it’s clear that a greater motive was at play. Demanding a share of the loot inspired trust in the bandit. As for his refusal of the diamond, it would have been immoral to gain a reward from someone he intended to deceive for a greater cause. He left the kingdom, wanting only for the king to capture Durdanda, as he saw that as his true purpose.”
No sooner had King Vikram finished answering than the vampire, along with the corpse, slipped away!
A Playful Exchange
Harish remarked, “You think I am a perfect idiot, do you?”
Narayan replied, “Never. Who can be perfect in this world?”