Once, there lived a blind couple who had a son named Shravan Kumar. Shravan carefully looked after his parents. One day, his parents wished to go on a pilgrimage. Shravan took a bamboo pole with a basket at either end. He placed his parents in two baskets and carried the basket on the shoulder. While on pilgrimage, they reached a forest near Ayodhya. Dashrath, the king of Ayodhya had also come to the forest to hunt. Shravan’s parents requested Shravan to get water in order to quench their thirst. Shravan went to the banks of river Sarayu. When he dipped the vessel to fill water, Dashrath thought it was the sound of a deer drinking water. He shot an arrow in the direction and heard a moaning cry. On hearing the sound, he came to the place and saw injured Shravan crying in pain. Dashrath became very sad. Shravan asked him to take the water to his parents and tell him the sad news. Dashrath sadly gave water to Shravan’s parents and told them the whole story. Shravan’s parents were in utter grief and cursed Dashrath that he would die one day in the grief of his loving son. Due to this, Dashrath died in the grief of Rama when the latter was sent to exile.
SHRAVAN KUMAR, THE DEVOTED SON
