Shravana Kumar began to grow up in the care of his blind parents. Shantavana and Gyanwati always fussed over their son. By feeling they became familiar with every inch of Shravana. A very cute the boy was. The women would describe the beauty of the baby in detail to Gyanwati who could never tire out listening to it. For her it was the most exciting exercise. She would then redescribe it to her husband.
The baby was the bright star of the dark world of his parents. In due course of time Shravana began to toddle. He learnt to stand up and toddle holding to index finger of his mother and the father. His little foot falls delighted the blind couple. In this way the time passed and a stage arrived when young Shravana became the guide of his parents. He would hold their hands or finger and lead them around. He became the long support of his parents. As Shravana enriched his vocabulary he began to describe the scenes around to his parents. The boy was sensitive and intelligent. He understood how his blind parents needed him and depended upon him. Like other boys he could not run away from home to play with other boys.
The circumstances and fate had tied the three together unseparably. In an admirable short time shravana ran all errands of his parents. He knew what they would want and when. From serving breakfast to putting his parents to sleep at night, Shravana had taken over all responsibilities. He would go to the garden to pick flowers for the daily worship of Lord by Shantavana and Gyanwati. It was their daily ritual they never missed. The footfalls of Shravana now orchestrated the life of the blind couple. Whenever Shravana went away on an errand the old ears of his parents would wait with baited breath to hear the returning footfalls. The sound would make the old folks squeal in delight . The focus of their life had come back safe and sound. That would be a great relief.
One evening Shravana had gone away to bring flowers for the evening worship of his parents. For some reason he got delayed. That had made Shantavana and Gyanwati panicky and they begun to call out to him and screaming. They could imagine million horrible things that could happen to their sole treasure, Shravana. The people tried to reason with the blind couple but they were unconsolable. At last Shravana returned and his parents heaved a sigh of relief.
“Son, what delayed you to return?” Gyanwati asked anxiously, “Are you alright?”
“Yes son, we were worried sick. You used to come back soon but today you are very late,” old man complained, “What happened?”
“I am alright Maa, Pa!” Shravana put them at ease and explained, “Today when I got to the garden I found flowers gone. Someone had picked them before I reached, There were only a few left far away deep.”
“Who took the flowers?” Gyanwati asked in surprise, “Did you find out?”
“I could not find out. Whoever it was had gone off. There was no one else to enquire from,” said Shravana drawing closer to his father.
“How could anyone steal flowers from our garden? Son, keep your eyes open. That thief is going to stirke again. You must be careful and find out who it is. Sooner or later you will spot the thief. Change your timing a bit. Some days you must go early. You will surprise the thief. Outwardly display careless attitude or the thief will get alerted.”
“Alright, alright Ma, I will do as you are suggesting.”
“Forget about the thief, have you got flowers for my evening worship son? Or there are no flowers?” asked Shantavana.
“I brought the flowers, father. They are placed at the usual spot in pooja (worship) room. Say your prayers.”
“Narayana! Narayana,” incanted the old couple while rising up to go to the pooja room for worship and prayers.”
Shravana held the left hand of his father and the right hand of his mother to lead them into the pooja room. He walked in the middle.
“Son, take care of one thing,” Gyanwati said,
“What is it Maa?”
“Don’t get delayed for any reason when you go out. A million worries hit us. We can’t breath easy.”
“Yes, son. Your mother is right. Understand our feelings, Shravana! You are our only support in life. Your absense hangs heavy on us. Your mother acts like fish out of water,” Shantavana said apologetically.
“Maa and Pa, I understand your problems and my duty well. Sometimes delays occur without my wish. Please use some patience and don’t worry too much for no reason,” Shravana urged.
“It is not something we do deliberately. We love you too much. Your presence around is what we breathe, not air…when you are away we don’t talk to each other being too eager to hear your footfalls of return. That puts life back in us.”
Shravana said, “I can see that and feel that. When I am away my mind is always with you. Some errands take time and delays happen in the natural course of way. You must learn to be patient Maa. Too much worrying will do no good to you and me as well. Remember that I don’t hang out there without reason. Still I will try to come back faster now on.”
“Son, we promise we will also learn to keep some patience about you. As a grown up lad you can’t remain shut at home with us all the time. You will have to go out to deal with life and the world. It is inevitable. We know how dedicated you are to us. Your Maa and I will try to learn to give you some space and time as our parental duty. We won’t use our blindness as a excuse to keep you like a bonded labour. We are sorry if we have inconvenienced you because of our selfish desire to take total control of your life,” Shantavana said understandingly.
“Father, don’t take it in that sense, I will never feel like a bonded labour to you. You two are my god and being near you is my heaven. I don’t need time for gossiping and youthful indulgences. Just bear in mind, Maa, that being with you is my happiest time. But life has its own demands and I can’t just sit at your feet all the time. I am just asking for you to be practically understanding. Out of us three I only have two working eyes. To use them for our common benefit we have to learn to get used to the periods of my absence. Remember that while I am away I am always worrying for you knowing how my absence troubles you. So, I won’t be out there without any definite reason. I care about you as much as you treasure me.”
Gyanwati pressed the hand of her son and said, “Son, you are a gem. How lucky we are to have a son like you! Suddenly getting blinded we have shrunk our world to a very narrow blind patch. We think of ourselves only and nothing for others even for our Shravana. What a pity! My son, I beg to seek your forgiveness. So self centred we have become that we doubt if ever we deserved you. So generous you are and so selfish we are! Forgive me my noble son. I don’t know from where you gathered that sublime wisdom? We did not send you to any gurukul for the formal education due to our selfish motive. That knowledge you reveal from some holy source only. My son, pardon me for being a woman who has only her selfish motive in mind.”
“No Maa! Don’t say such things. Mother is the best teacher of a child and home is the best gurukul. I learnt all the fine things and values from you and father. Do not worry about anything for me. Just be a little patient.”
“We will try.” They went to the pooja room and said evening prayers. Shravana left the room. The old couple stayed there for some time praying. Then, Shravana came in again led them out for the evening meals.
In the kitchen Shravana got his parents beseated in their appointed seats and placed platters (thali) of food before them. “Eat the meals, father and mother! Hope I have not messed up the cooking.”
“Son, have you eaten?” Gyanwati asked.
“No Maa, As usual I will eat once you take your meals. I have to keep a watch to see that you eat properly and get whatever you need.”
“All parents feel pleasure in feeding their own children. And here we are being fed by our child while he keeps a watch on empty stomach. Woe are we two, son,” Shantavana lamented.
Gyanwati said, “Son, today you must eat with us for our satisfaction. We will feel less guilty and it will make us happy.”
“Alright Maa. I will eat if it makes you happy. I can do anything that makes you happy.”
Shravana sat down to eat. Shravana had cooked three or four dishes. He had become a good cook. The art of recipes he learnt from the helpful neighbourhood women for the benefit of his parents.
Shantavana and Gyanwati praised the dishes their son had served. How Gyanwati would have loved to cook delicacies for her Shravana! She sighed at her misfortune.
Shravana then led them to their beds. They talked for some more time and consoled each other in many ways. Then Shravana went to his own bed. In this way every moment of Shravana was dedicated to his parents. His own private life was non-existent and he didn’t mind that or desired for it. He was born to serve his parents only.
