Shravana was getting overtaken by the idea of somehow gaining eyesight back for his parents. He saw great hope in Sage Vashishtha who had worked miracles for the royal family and others. So he decided to go to the royal guru of Raghu dynasty, the rulers of Ayodhya. One day he set out for the royal court after seeking permission of his parents and giving necessary instructions to his wife.
Sage Vashishtha used to grace the court of king Dashratha of Ayodhya. Shravana had learnt about it and hence, the royal court was his destination.
Most of the folks of Ayodhya knew the legend of Shantavana and Gyanwati who had made penance for twelve years in the forest of Naimisha to gain their son Shravana Kumar in boon. For that reason the folk of Ayodhya used to take Shantavana and his wife in ‘sage image’ though the two were family persons. As the boon of Brahma greatly respected was Shravana Kumar. The people often cited the example of Shravana to refer to the iconic dedication to parents, compassion for creatures and weak and other noble qualities a character could have. Hence in a way the old couple and Shravana were iconic figures for the common folk.
When Shravana reached the court it was in session. The sentry went in and revealed that Shravana Kumar had come and wanted permission to present himself to the court.
“Shravana Kumar!” the name rang a bell in the mind of king Dashratha making sweet sound, “Is it the same youngman who was booned to Sage Shantavana by Lord Brahma?”
“Yes, my Lord,” the sentry bowed.
“Usher him in with due respect,” ordered the king.
“As you command my Lord,” spoke the sentry and withdrew from the court. Shortly later young Shravana was ushered in. Everyone stared at the youngman.
Shravana touched the feet of Guru Vashishtha, King Dashratha and then he made his obeisance to the assembly with his folded hands and bowed head.
King Dashratha pointed to a high seat of honour and got him beseated on it. Then patronisingly he asked, “Son, what brings you to our court? I had heard that taking care of your parents takes all your time.”
“My Lord, a desire to see Guru Vashishtha brings me here. Being married now allows me some free time to seek blessings of elders and nobels.”
“Well done, youngman. It is a pleasure to have you here in our court,” the king said and asked, “And how is Shantavana and your mother?”
“My Lord, by grace of God and your kindness my family is in good health and secure. But…” Shravana Kumar could not finish his sentence for some reluctance.
“But what my son?” King Dashratha frowned and remarked, “I sense a touch of pain in your voice. What causes it?”
“My King, the only woe in our lives is the blindness of my parents. For me they lost their vision. It makes me feel guilty. The darkness of their world engulfs my world as well. That one woe eclipses all our joys of life.”
“Son, that is the work of fate. What can any one do about it?”
“Lord, our sublime scriptures are full of knowledge and mystical wonders. We are told that they contain answer to every mundane problem,” spoke the youngman and came to the point, “If by the grace of Guru Vashishtha my parents get back their eyesight we all will be ever grateful to him. He is the repository of the knowledge of our scriptrues.”
Guru Vashishtha spoke, “Son, you correctly said that our Vedas, Puranas and Smrities have solutions to all the problems of life and the world. No problem of entire creation is outside the scope of our scirptures. It is also true that the vision of Shantavana and Gyanwati can be regained. There are answers to all problems.”
The face of Shravana beamed with hope. He prayed, “Holy sir, reveal to me the way to regain the eyesight of my parents. I will be ever thankful to you, sir.”
“Son, there are processes and rituals. Some are impossible to perform due to unmeetable conditions.”
“Holy sir, please don’t doubt my commitment to the mission. I will do the impossible to help my parents see again. My determination will see me through,” Shravana assured with supreme confidence.
“Son, I can see that you are a determined young man and your dedication to your parents is total. I am not doubting your capacity or will power. In dutifulness and commitment you are an ideal.”
“So holy sir, why are you hesitating to reveal the way or method that I must employ for the task I have to perform?”
“Son, your body is tender.”
“But my will power is diamond hard, sir.”
“Son, I am not considering your will power, commitment, dedication, zeal but I am thinking of your slender arms that are unaccustomed to carry loads and your slow feet.”
“Holy sir,” Shravana anxiously asked, “Trust me, for my parents my will power will turn my slender arms into hardwood beams and my feet will move with the grace of a war horse. For the eyesight of my parents I can sacrifice my own vision. Just tell me what I have to do and you will see me doing it.”
“Admire your spirit, I do my son, commendable is your spirit of sacrifice and dedication to parents. Blessed are Shantavana and Gyanwati to have got a worthy son like you,” Guru Vashishtha spoke in true admiration, “Alright son, your dedication has won against my doubts. If really you are so keen to get the eyesight back to your parents it becomes our duty not to hold any method that can help your mission. For it you shall have to visit all prominent holy centres of pilgrimage in the company of your parents. The credit so earned shall gain the eyesight to you parents. It may look easy to you but there are challenges in it at practical level that you don’t realise now.”
“Holy sir, I will take my parents to all holy centres needed to regain their eyesight,” Shravana said very excitedly.
“But how Shravana? Your parents are blind and they are too old for travel. They can’t see and travel long distances. The holy centres are located all over the land at great distances. A hundred years it will take them to cover all the pilgrim centres.”
“I will get them to those centres, sir,” Shravana said with determination… “I will do it somehow?”
“My dear Shravana,” King Dashratha intervened in a helpful spirit, “You need not worry about anything. I will lend you my royal chariot that moves fast. You shall cover all pilgrim centres in a fast time.”
The sage shook his head sadly and said, “No, king. This pilgrimage is a penance making exercise. It is not a royal pleasure trip. Without any outside help Shravana and his parents should travel or the credit of the exercise will go to the facilitators.”
“Oh!” moaned King Dashratha.
“It does not matter, my King. Don’t feel sorry for me. I only need your blessings and good wishes. It is a challenge for me and my parents. I will seek no outside help. I will accomplish this mission somehow by the grace of Guru Vashishtha and your good will.”
“Our blessings and good wishes are always with you, son,” King Dashratha and the sage spoke in one voice impressed by the determination of the youngman.
Guru Vashishtha promised, “We all will pray for your success.”
Entire assembly of the court was looking at Shravana with great admiration. His dedication to his parents had amazed everyone.
“Shravana,” Guru Vashishtha spoke in a mysterious tone and asked, “Do you know how your parents lost their eyesight?”
“No, holy sir.”
“Do you want to know?”
“I sure do, holy sir. My parents never told me anything about to me. I thought they lost their vision in some accident before my birth,” Shravana said.
“Seeing your dedication to your parents I think you deserve to know the true story. And you must know how much toil and sacrifice your parents made to beget you. Whatever you are doing for your parents is out of love and dedication to them. It is your duty as well,” said Sage Vashishtha meaningfully.
“Holy sir, I never was told that there existed a story behind my parents losing their eyesight. I am very keen to know all about it. If there was secret why it was kept away from me? Perhaps you can unfold the mystery for me.”
“Son, for years and decades into marriage your parents were childless. They went to pilgrimages and performed all kinds of religious acts to get blessed with a child but nothing worked. One day Sage Narada paid a visit to them and he suggested them to make a twelve year penance to propitiate the Creator, Brahma in Naimisha forest, the latter may boon them a child.
Accordingly your parents made a twelve year penance in the forest. Brahma duly obliged by appearing before them. Creator told your parents that they were not destined to see the face of their child due to a curse. Brahma revealed that if they wanted child they will lose their eyesight to honour the curse. There was no other way.
Your parents agreed to the condition so dearly they wanted you. For their own eyesight they asked for you and the boon was granted. That is how you arrived in this world.”
“Oh God! Did my parents sacrifice their vision for me? I never knew it and no body told me. How sad!” Shravana lamented.
“Son Shravana! Your dedication to your parents is incredible. Yet we revealed the mystery of sacrifice of your parents, you know why?”
“No, holy sir. Tell me.”
“In some adversity or emergency if you felt your resolve weakening or desperation getting into you, remember the great sacrifice made by your parents. It wil reinforce your energies and the will power. You will get inspired into greater effort.”
“As you command holy sir,” Shravana touched the feet of Guru Vashishtha and king Dashratha. From the assemblage he sought blessings. Then, Shravana asked for permission to leave on his difficult mission.
Guru Vashishtha and King Dashratha blessed him. The entire court rose up to extend its good wishes for his success. With folded hands Shravana gratefully saluted everyone.
Lost in thoughts Shravana reached home. His mind was busy planning for his pilgrimage. While passing by the room of his parents he happened to hear their talk which made him stop. His mother was saying, “Master! I had a great wish to visit all the pilgrim centres. Now that we have lost our eyesight that wish will remain ever unfulfilled.”
“My dear, don’t talk of unfulfilled wishes. It makes me sad. Without vision we won’t be able to see anything anyway. All the pilgrim centres would feel dark holes for us,” Shantavana said.
“We won’t be going for sight seeing to need vision. It is a spiritual experience. Our souls will feel the sacred ambience.”
“Without vision it is all the same. We are too old to be taken around. Our dear Shravana has made our lives happy and contented. Infact our own home is gist of all pilgrim centres.”
“That is true, master. We are blessed with a wonderfully obedient and caring son. His wife is also a very helpful and kind soul. The two know what we need and when. God bless them.”
Shravana had stood outside the door taking in every word spoken by them. He was feeling overwhelmed with emotions. His love for his parents was surging. Shravana went in and he touched the feet of his parents. He asked, “What were you talking about? I heard some sounds coming from your room.”
Shantavana cleverly changed the subject, “Son, you had gone to the court of Raja Dashratha. What happened there?”
“Yes father! I went to the court of the king,” replied Shravana and did not elaborate. He realised that his father had deliberately changed the subject but he did not say anything.
Gyanwati asked, “I hope you got a chance to meet Sage Vashishtha. Did he give some miracle herb for our eyes?”
“Maa, he gave no miracle herb to me. He is a sage and not a physician. But he revealed a way that can regain you eyesight,” Shravana informed.
“A way to regain eyesight!” Gyanwati spoke in great excitement, “Will that really give us back our vision?”
“Guru Vashishtha said so, Maa. He knows all the mysteries and mystical secrets of ancient scriptures. He can not be wrong.”
“So my son,” Shantavana could not help asking, “Tell us about the way suggested by the great sage. I feel there is hope for us. We must try to do whatever he has suggested without delay.”
“Yes father!”
“You don’t sound very enthused my son, What is the matter? Is there a problem?”
“No big problem father…I am a bit travel weary. I am trying to get my breath back.”
“Oho ho!” Gyanwati exclaimed, “How selfish of us to overlook your tiredness. Of course you must be dead tired. We are just talking of our eyesight without letting you drink water and something to eat. Raja’s court is a long way off.”
Gyanwati called out to Vidya to get some cold water and refreshment for Shravana. In silence Shravana ate some sweets and drank water as the old couple waited to hear the revelation made by Vashishtha.
Gyanwati squealed, “If we really get back vision we will be able to see the sweet face of our Shravana so far we have only felt it by touch. How wonderful it would be!”
“You will be able to see me, Maa,” the son assured.
“So, tell us what Guru Vashishtha advised?” Shantavana asked anxiously.
“Father, the way to regain you eyesight is not very complicated. I will have to take you to all the sacred pilgrim centres.”
Shantavana and Gyanwati felt deflated. The ray of hope had again disappeared into darkness. The two old folk just sighed and spoke no words.
“That is impossible,” said Shantavana with disappointment, “How can you get two old blind people to the pilgrim centres son? We will fall dead on the way. We are not in a condition to travel and to make matters worse we are blind. That is no way…”
“Don’t say anything more, father,” Shravana pleaded and declared, “I will get you on pilgrimage somehow. I have made up my mind. I won’t force you to travel, don’t worry about that.”
“You won’t force us to travel? Are you thinking of taking us on a chariot or a cart?”
“No Maa! We can’t use chariot or cart or any porters otherwise it won’t work. We shall have to manage between the three of us only. No outside help.”
“Son, then it is impossible. Forget about our eyesight. It is not worth so much trouble. We are seeing the world through your eyes. Don’t worry yourself son. We are alright just the way we are.”
“Father and mother, I have made up my mind to take you on a pilgrimage. By the grace of God and your blessing I can do it…I have thought of a way and I am going to try it.”
“What have you thought son?”
“I will prepare two sandalwood baskets big enough to hold you each. The baskets will be tied with ropes one each to a strong pole of suitable length. You shall sit in the baskets and I will carry you with pole balanced on my shoulder at the middle. Thus to all important pilgrim centres we will go and you will get back your eyesight.”
Shantavana moaned, “Son, the idea is clever but it is too much labour for you. In the old age we don’t want to be a dead weight on your shoulders.”
“Don’t talk in that vein father. You are the assets of my life and not the dead weight… Carrying you around will be my pleasure. Stop the argument here. We are going and you are going to get back the eyesight. Now I have to make preparations. Meanwhile you must prepare yourself mentally for the journey.”
The old couple fell silent. There was a note of finality in what Shravana had said. He was a determined fellow. They thanked Brahma for booning a son like Shravana. If they regained eyesight the biggest joy will be in beholding their son.
Shravana did as he had planned. Two baskets, he hung by ropes at the ends of a strong pole. In each basket Shantavana and Gyanwati sat. With pole centre on his shoulder Shravana set out for a long journey of pilgrimage of the major holy centres.
