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“Oh God! Bad luck again!”
By Prakash Subbarao

Once upon a time there was a learned man in a village in North India. He had the ability to foresee the future; he had the ability to heal. He had the ability to calm ignited passions and quarrels; he had the ability to offer sound advice.

His fame spread far and wide and people came to consult him.

One day there was a large commotion in the village. A runner came puffing and panting into the village to say that the Maharani of a nearby town was approaching the town in a huge cavalcade of elephants and horses. All the people spilled out of their houses for a better look. Soon, the convoy came into view.

“Which is the way to the learned man’s house?” the leader of the convoy demanded. An eager lad showed him the way.

The Maharani alighted outside the learned man’s house and walked in.

The learned man was sitting cross legged n the floor in deep meditation but she didn’t appear to notice. “I am the Maharani of Bhahawalpur” she announced importantly. “I have come to consult you on an important matter”.

The learned man opened his eyes, and looked at her calmly.

“I wish to do a pooja to appease the Gods. A lot of bad things have been happening in my family” she went on tactlessly. “I heard that a pooja invoking Agni the fire God will help”.

The learned man nodded.

“I will do a pooja on a massive scale. I have asked my palace cooks to prepare tonnes of ghee which we will pour into the fire to appease the Gods. I have asked that a thousand Brahmins be invited for a huge feast that I will throw in their honour. I will spare no expense for this function. I have come to take your blessings”. Saying this, she touched the learned man’s feet.

He just smiled.

Taking out her purse, she threw a few gold Mohurs at his feet and left the room.

The convoy of horses and elephants soon left the town.

Months passed...............

One day the town folk spotted the horses and the elephants of the Maharani wending their way to the village. Once again, as before, the Maharani alighted form the convoy. She was weeping profusely. She entered the learned man’s chamber.

As before, he was meditating but when he heard her anguished sobs, he voluntarily opened his eyes.

“What is the matter, my child” he asked her kindly. “Why do you weep so grievously?”

“O learned one, I came to consult you” she said. “As you will remember, I came here a few months ago to take your advice. As we had discussed, I did a very big pooja to all the Gods. Yet nothing positive has happened and my bad luck continues. My only son was killed yesterday. Tell me why this is so. Tell me what I must do to stop this wretched phase of bad luck!”. Saying this, she fell at his feet.

The learned man was silent for a while. Finally he asked “What did you ask of the Gods when you did the puja?”

“I asked for everything!” she replied “For wealth, for health, for happiness. Not only for myself, but also for all those close to me. I cannot think of anything that I did not ask for. Why are the Gods not granting me my wishes?”

“Would you like me to ask the Gods why?” the learned man enquired.

“Yes” she nodded eagerly. “That would be very nice! Then I will know why I have failed”.

“Leave me for a while. Come back after ten minutes” the learned one ordered.

When she returned ten minutes later, she found him sitting, in a deep reverie. His eyes were tightly shut. His body was motionless. She sat down quietly so as not to disturb him. Finally, after what seemed an eternity to her, he opened his eyes and saw her. He smiled.

“Maharani, you said that you have asked the Gods for everything” he said.

“Yes, yes!” she replied. “There is nothing that I have forgotten”.

“But there is one thing that you have forgotten” insisted the sage.

“What is that” she eagerly asked. “Tell me and I will immediately ask for it!”.

“You have forgotten to ask the Gods for forgiveness for all the sins you have committed”.

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