For neglecting his family Tilak sometimes felt ashamed of himself. He had come home again. Satyabhama dutifully touched his feet. The children ran to their father. The family sat together. There was no bitterness on the face of Tilak of his breakaway from the Deccan Education Society. Infact, he looked cheerful and very satisfied with the mark he was making through his magazines.
A new determination had lighted up his face.
Suddenly, he noticed that the ubiquitous aunt was not around.
He asked his wife about her and learnt that she was sick and bedridden in the next room. Tilak got up and went to that room to see the aunt.
At his sight the old woman’s face brightened up.
She said in weak voice, “Aha! It is you, my son. Come back home, huh? Is it again a short visit? I hope it is not. We have been dying to see you.”
After touching her feet, Tilak enquired, “What is ailing you, aunt? Satyabhama says that you are not feeling well.”
The aunt groaned. She said, “It is nothing serious. The usual old age niggles. Some pains here and there always. The worst of all diseases is the old age, you know. And how are you?”
“Fine, Kaki. I am devoting all my time to the magazines. It is good. Now the whitemen know my power,” Tilak informed.
“I know, I know. You are born to do great things, son. We have so much hopes pinned in you,” the old lady smiled.
Just then Satyabhama entered with two glasses of milk. She had heard part of what her husband was saying.
So, she eagerly asked, “I thought you were with Deccan Society. Now you say…”.
“I broke away with the society. Presently I work for my magazines. The magazines are a great means of carrying your message to the people. Unfortunately the people with the school have turned money grubbers,” Tilak informed.
“You will do the right thing, I am sure,” the expressed her support to the husband.
Tilak smiled, “Satyabhama dear, whatever I have been able to do is largely due to your sacrifices. I remained busy with my social service work and could never spare enough time for you and children. You and aunt had to carry the burden of the family. I am very proud and thankful to you.”
The aunt smiled.
Satyabhama was overwhelmed. She spoke with quivering lips, “I am avowed to stand by you. Serving husband without asking anything in return is the duty of a Hindustani wife. So we have been taught. Doing my bit gives me great pride.”
Later, Tilak took her hands in his and sighed, “Satya! You are my real strength. I always feel guilty for the fact that I gave you so little. The missions I have undertaken will keep me mostly away in future also. You shall have to bear with me. I am afraid you will be burdened with more sacrifices. I hope you understand. I know that I am being unfair to you.”
“I will do whatever for your sake taking it as my solemn duty. Please don’t say those kind of things. The success of your mission is my reward.”
Tilak said emotionally, “I want to tell you a very harsh truth. I have come to realise that we live in a very selfish society. When you want volunteers to do selfless service to the people and the country you find yourself alone. It is heart breaking. When I see you doing sacrifices it fills my heart with hope and the broken heart appears to mend itself. So I ask you to make more sacrifices knowing well that you are the only one in this world who won’t refuse me anything. Although it is injustice to you.”
In a choked voice Satyabhama said, “You are doing no injustice to me. Whatever you are doing I am always invisible partner to it. I can sense the importance of your lofty mission. I feel it a honour to be helpful to you in whatever indirect and little way. You are doing all this for the benefit of the people and the country. I am proud of it and my cooperation you can take for granted without being thankful.”
Only an Indian woman could show such spirit of sacrifice and self denial. He looked at his wife with wondrous admiration. When every Indian home had such selfless characters then why it is not resulting in positive results, he wondered?
The fact was that Indians were rotting at the bottom of the backwardness.
One needed not go far to seek the reason. Most of the men in Indian society were selfish, lazy and corrupt. They were using the noble qualities of the Indian women for their own selfish ends of exploiting them in a horrible way. The end result was that those noble qualities wrought only self destruction and strengthened the hands of evil forces. The milk fed to snakes only becomes venom.
While departing, Bal Gangadhar Tilak looked at his two surviving kids quietly. He knew that he would not be able to spare enough time to help them grow in a normal way. They would more likely be orphans of his own missions.
