Shantavana and Gyanwati knew the involvement of Shravana with Vidya and all about their meetings. They were also getting interested in the girl called Vidya. The girl was not a total stranger to them. They knew her father Gyandev very well. In the good old days Shantavana and Gyandev had been friends. From a good family Gyandev was. About the fine qualities of Vidya they had heard a lot from their son.
By now Vidya had become a well known personality to them. The old couple also felt very attracted to the girl and had a feeling and she was going to become a member of their family sooner or later. They had not talked to Shravana on this prospect. But the couple often talked about it between them in privacy.
Whenever Shravana talked about Vidya they could feel excitement in his voice. Meanwhile, the intimacy between Shravana and Vidya was ever on the increase.
On that day while picking flowers in the garden Vidya spoke, “I want to say something to you.”
“Say whatever you have in mind. Now we are too close to feel any hesitation. What is it?”
“Tomorrow is last Monday of Shravana month.”
“So?”
“I will keep fast tomorrow,” revealed Vidya and added, “I want you to come to Shiva temple to receive prasadam from me.”
“Vidya! I will come most likely. I will have to seek permission from my parents to come there. I don’t see why they could object to it?” Shravana said seriously.
“Alright. I will be waiting for you at temple gate,” informed Vidya. On that note they took leave of each other each carrying basket of the flowers. Vidya would also need flowers for her fast pooja.
On the way Shravana thought over the matter. Their relationship was taking serious turn. At home he mentioned about the fast of Vidya and asked for permission to go to the temple. The old couple gave permission to Shravana gladly.
The next day Shravana went to Shiva temple at the appointed hour. Vidya was anxiously waiting for him at the temple gate with pooja tray in her hands. At the sight of Shravana her face beamed up and a sweet smile lit up her face.
Shravana went straight to her. She drew closer to him and whispered, “You are late.”
“Hey, I am not late,” Shravana protested, “I am right on time. It appears you arrived too early and waited for me long enough.”
Shravana laughed and Vidya giggled. On the advice of Gyanwati, Shravana too had arrived with pooja thal. Both of them went into the temple with trays (thalis) in hand and began to worship the idol of Lord Shiva. After pooja ritual Shravana and Vidya applied sacred Tilak on each other’s forehead.
“Tell me one thing Vidya,” Shravana asked, “Although it is one’s personal matter yet I would like to know what you asked from Lord Shiva? Tell me if you don’t mind.”
“I asked…” Vidya hesitated before saying, “I asked for all your woes to me and my joys to you.”
It got Shravana thinking. He had become serious. He could understand the deep implication of what she was saying. Vidya too watched his face without saying anything more.
Then she asked, “Would you mind telling me what did you ask from Lord Shiva?”
” I asked Lord to restore the eyesight of my parents and if that took my own eyesight I was ready for it.” In those words Shravana had expressed all the pain and the woes of his family.
Vidya cast a loving glance at his face. Then she spoke changing the subject, “Know what my father was saying today?”
“How should I know? I am not an Astrologer. I will know only when you tell me.”
“Ask me to tell…”
“Alright, tell me what was your dear father saying today?”
“He was saying tomorrow he would go to the house of Shravana Kumar to meet his parents to discuss an important matter.”
“Vidya! You are crazy!” Shravana teased her.
“Why crazy?” Vidya asked a bit taken aback.
“If your parents come to my house he will very naturally meet my parents. When they sit together, they are bound to talk about something. The three won’t sit together to play dumb act. They will talk about something naturally. Since they are not babies to blabber about they will talk of something important.”
“You are making fun of me. It could be serious matter,” Vidya spoke.
“Tell me about its importance or seriousness.”
“You did not ask me why my father was talking of going to meet your parents.”
“You didn’t give any chance for me to ask anything. Tell me why is your father coming to meet my parents?”
“I think it is a very important matter.”
“That means you don’t exactly know why he is coming to meet my parents,” Shravana said with a smile, “If you are yourself ignorant about it what can you tell me? But you need not worry. If your father comes to my house he would be well received and served refreshments.”
After that the two indulged in some light talks on the way back and then went to their own respective homes in different directions.
In the later afternoon the father of Vidya arrived at the house of Shravana. Shravana greeted him very respectfully with folded hands.
In reply Gyandev gave the youngman his blessings and asked, “Son, is your father at home?”
“Yes sir,” Shravana informed and said, “He rarely goes out. Most of the time my parents are at home. Please come in. You are very welcome.”
Shravana led the visitor to the room of his sire and Maa. To them he announced the arrival of the guest in Gyandev.
“Welcome, welcome Gyandevji,” Shantavana rose up from his seat in honour of the guest, “After so many days you are visiting us.”
” I am sorry for that. I have been busy. Please accept my apologies and greetings.”
Shantavana and Gyanwati greeted the guest with folded hands and requested him to be seated.
Shravana had spread a mat for the guest.
Shantavana asked, “Friend Gyandev! How have you been keeping and we hope you are in good health. We have to be told everything through voice since we can not see what is obvious for others.”
“By your grace I am fine, old friend,” informed Gyandev and added, “I have come today with some special purpose.”
“We will be glad to know your purpose. Do reveal it. We will do everything to cooperate with you to make it fruitful.”
Meanwhile, Shravana had gone out to prepare for the refreshments and drinks for the visitor.
“Don’t hesitate. We are old friends,” urged Shantavana to encourage Gyandev.
“Your son Shravana is fit for marriage. Isn’t he?” Gyandev asked in a leading way.
“By the grace of God he is sir. We also get that feeling often,” Shantavana admitted.
“Have you received any proposals for his marriage or looked for a suitable girl for him?”
“Not yet. I think we have been very selfish. The very prospect of sharing Shravana with another person makes our mind recoil. We realise that we have failed in our parental duty. Of course our Shravana needs to be married.”
“If you have no objection I have a proposal to make our two families one through alliance,” Gyandev spoke.
“Sir, make your point a bit more clear.”
“I have a daughter of marriageable age. She is endowed with beauty, grace and culture.”
“And her name is Vidya,” Gyanwati chimed in to a great relief of Gyandev. Shantavana was smiling broadly.
“How do you know about my Vidya?”
“That is not a big mystery, my friend Gyandev. You know all about our son Shravana Kumar and we know all about your daughter Vidya.”
“It is tit for tat!” Gyanwati giggled.
“Then, I have the proposal for marriage of my daughter Vidya to your son Shravana Kumar. What do you say?”
“Sir, our son Shravana is as good as your son. You may work out the alliance as you deem fit. You will do the best thing for all of us. We have no objection to your proposal.”
“Then, it is done.” said Gyandev and he made formal proposal of marriage of his daughter Vidya with Shravana Kumar, the son of Shantavana and Gyanwati with a token ritual.
Shantavana said, “We have heard a lot about the fine qualities of your daughter Vidya from the lips of Shravana himself. It is obvious that the bride, and groom are acquainted with each other well and we get the feeling they are in love. This alliance should be worked out for good of all of us.”
Gyanwati whispered to her husband, “Shouldn’t we sound Shravana about this engagement? It would be better if we do. By habit we take him for granted in all matters. Sometimes, we must recognise his independent existence.”
Shantavana nodded his head, “You are right my dear. Old habits are die hard. We must give him a space and honour his separate existence. But in case of Vidya I am sure he loves her and has accepted her as part of his life long ago. I can remember the long speeches Shravana used to deliver everytime he came back after meeting Vidya, detailing her virtues and physical attributes. Don’t worry my dear.”
“It is alright then. My heart agrees with your assessment,” Gyanwati said.
Gyandev was ignoring the private whisperings between Shantavana and Gyanwati. Their private feelings or concerns mattered only in an indirect way. For him all important thing was that Vidya was now engaged to Shravana Kumar although it was not fully formal yet.
Kundalis (Astrological birth chart) had to be matched and approved by priests, auspicious hour for the marriage was to be determined and only then the marriage could take place. In the case of Vidya and Shravana no hitch or glitch appeared.
Everything went by like a song as if the two were made for each other in heaven. On the due date marriage ceremony took place. It was kept a simple affair by the wish of all parties concerned. Now Shravana and Vidya were a husband-wife team.
Vidya came into the Shravana household as the daughter-in-law of the blind couple. With admirable ease Vidya took charge of the in-laws from her husband. She was very dedicated and committed to the old couple and her husband. She proved to be very hardworking housewife who never shirked from her duties. Like Shravana she too felt pleasure in serving the needs of the old couple however hard she had to toil.
Thus, the marital life of Shravana was full of bliss and contentment. The family was reasonably prosperous. Now the only woe of the family was the blindness of the old couple. That factor was shadowing the happiness of Shravana. He wondered all the time if there could be way to win back the eyesight of his parents. That would have made the joy of the family complete.
Someone told him that the royal guru Sage Vashishtha could suggest some way to him to gain back eyesight of Shantavana and Gyanwati.
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