||Sri Ram Jayram Jaya Jaya Ram||

Chapter – 65 – Dhoha – 64

The conversation between King Prathapbhanu and the ascetic 

Tulsidas Maharaj speaks “Most of the times not only the ignorant even the intellectuals get baffled by the outward appearances. The peacock has a marvelous appearance, but it eats serpents.”

The ascetic began to speak “Oh! Son, I am residing in the wood not to get myself fall as prey in the worldly matters, I have no relation other than supreme Lord Hari, and he is the knower of all. Therefore I need not please the world and I have nothing to gain in that way. You are intelligent and innocent as well; therefore you are beloved to me. I have gained your love and faith, Oh! Son, if I hide anything from you that would cause grave sin to me.” King was highly pleased with the abandoned nature of the ascetic who understood the King already have good faith in him, he began to speak “Oh! Brother, I am Ekathanu,” King bow down before the ascetic and requested to explain the inner meaning of his name. He began to explain “Oh! Son, I have born at the beginning of the Creation, I have not taken any other body, that’s why I am Ekathanu. You need not get surprised because there is nothing in the Universe that is impossible with the penance. Lord Bhrama creates the Universe and its living beings with his penance. Lord Vishnu preserves the same and Lord Shambhu with the power of penance destroys the Universe. There is nothing in the Universe unattainable with the Penance.” The King was highly pleased with the intelligent words of the ascetic who began to narrate the legends from various scriptures, he described Karma, Dharma, Ithihasa, intelligence, Virakthi, and various legends on Shrishti, Sthithi, and Laya as well. Listening to the highly scholastic information, the King began to speak out of the truth; the ascetic spoke “Oh! King, although you have hidden your original identity, I have known you already, but I respect you. Oh! Rajan, the Rajaneethi says a King should not reveal his identity to the strangers; I am highly pleased with your skill. You are Prathapbhanu, son of Sathyakethu, Oh! Rajan, I know everything about you with the grace of my preceptor; I will not predict them beforehand that may cause harm to me. I am pleased with your straightforwardness, faith, affection, and innocence; I have narrated my story to you. Oh! Rajan, I have no ill feelings; you can ask me any question.”

The King Prathapbhanu was highly pleased with the knowledge of ascetic, he fallen at his feet and eulogized him, and spoke “Oh! Mune, Oh! Kripasindhu, I have gained Purusharththa with the mere sight of you. The supreme Lord is extremely compassionate, I ask for a boon from you, that would help me to cross the sufferings of miseries and sorrows, my body should not undergo Jara, death, and sufferings. None should win over me in the battlefield, kindly provide me that boon to rule the world for hundreds of Kalpa without any enemy and serve my people.”

The ascetic spoke “Oh! Rajan, Let it be! But I have to tell you the truth, the twice-born are the powerful ones with their extreme austerities and Tapas, no one could save you from the curse of these twice-born. Oh! Rajan, worship the twice-born, it would please even the deities Lord Bhrama, Vishnu and Mahesha, Oh! Rajan, I shall guarantee you, if you have saved yourself from Viprashapa you will not find ruin.” King Prathapbhanu was extremely happy and spoke “Oh! Natha, Oh! Kripanidhe, I will not face any ruin with your blessings, therefore I will have all the auspiciousness.” That wicked ascetic pronounced ‘Let it be!’.