Level: BA/BBS | Lesson 48 A Tale (Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, Nepal 1941-1982)
(Translated and edited by Shreedhar Lohani)
Word Meanings
tale = story
demon = ghost
ally = friend
celestial = heavenly
lofty = valuable
sparkling = shining
transcend = to go beyond
sought = looked
triumph = win
eventually = finally
achieve = get
ecstasy = joy
adroit = clever
court = palace
pounce = attack
quiver = shiver
bliss = joy
suspicion = doubt
down fall = damage
suffuse = fill
comeliest = very beautiful
chaste = virgin, pure
dismay = hatred
innumerable = too many
spellbinding = very attractive
vibrant = thrilling
posture = pose
disparity = difference
erect = to set
Summary
According to this story a man went to the jungle to achieve celestial power. He wanted to achieve immortality. Going to jungle, he chose a place and started his penance. He didn’t care about unbearable hot or cold. He didn’t eat food even a drop of water. He spent days, month and years. The animals didn’t give him trouble. He was about to accomplish his goal. The Gods in the heaven frightened and the king of Gods sent a nymph to the sage. The nymph put off her clothes and started to bathe in the river. The sage saw that beautiful nymph and opened his eyes. Her naked body and breasts turning downwards sage’s eyes. He looked her for a long time and wanted to go to her though he had done penance for many years. He didn’t think about his meditation except nymph’s beautiful body organs. He proposed her to get married and later on they got married. He returned home with his wife-nymph. The villagers and the king didn’t like sage’s life. The king went to visit the sage and when he saw the sage with a woman became sad. They gave birth two sons. The villagers took that woman as a seductress because the villagers thought that she seduced the sage from his penance. After that the sage started farming in the village.
Four Levels of Interpretation
Literal Comprehension
This story was written by the Nepali writer B.P. Koirala. His subject matter is love affairs. In ancient times, Gods used to destroy someone’s penance by applying different tricks when someone tried to attain Godhood through penance, the Gods felt jealous. According to this story a man went to the jungle to achieve celestial power. He wanted to achieve immortality. Going to jungle, he chose a place and started his penance. He didn’t care about unbearable hot or cold. He didn’t eat food even a drop of water. He spent days, month and years. The animals didn’t give him trouble. He was about to accomplish his goal. The Gods in the heaven frightened and the king of Gods sent a nymph to the sage. The nymph put off her clothes and started to bathe in the river. The sage saw that beautiful nymph and opened his eyes. Her naked body and breasts turning downwards sage’s eyes. He looked her for a long time and wanted to go to her though he had done penance for many years. He didn’t think about his meditation except nymph’s beautiful body organs. He proposed her to get married and later on they got married. He returned home with his wife-nymph. The villagers and the king didn’t like sage’s life. The king went to visit the sage and when he saw the sage with a woman became sad. They gave birth two sons. The villagers took that woman as a seductress because the villagers thought that she seduced the sage from his penance. After that the sage started farming in the village.
Interpretation
The writer tries to show that living at home and doing farming is better than living in the jungle and doing penance. There is joy in life if we stay with wife and children. It is useless to spend life not eating food and drinking water. He says life is for joy. We should enjoy the life. He also tries to show that so-called people or sages are also attracted towards beautiful women. Beautiful body of woman lures every one even sages also break down their penance. Sexual desire of a human being never dies thought he/ she has become old.
Critical Thinking
To a great extent, I completely agree with the writer. Everyone has sexual desire and everyone is attracted towards naked body of a woman. Old and young once have sexual desire. Sexual desire is undying though we will be old. As in this story, the sage who left home for celestial knowledge was distributed by the girl. But it is difficult to believe that how a sage might have lived not eating food and drinking water. Next thing the writer says that even Gods were also afraid of human being’s penance. But is it possible to get celestial power and knowledge by living on penance?
Assimilation
When I read this story, I remembered the event that took place in South Eastern part of Kanchanpur. As a sage attracted towards the nymph. Similarly, in a village, the old man who was around the age 62, was sitting under a mango tree in from of his house in the afternoon. It was month of Jestha, everyone was taking rest in their own houses. The old man saw a beautiful woman sleeping in front of house in the shade. Her in-laws were in the room. Her husband was in Kathmandu for his higher education. The old men’s sons and daughter in-laws were in Mahendranagr. The old man was living in the village with his old wife. Suddenly a type of feeling grew in his mind and went to that woman. He talked something with that beautiful woman. After few days she started to visit the old man regularly. The old man’s wife didn’t take care. She was innocent, she thought that her husband was old and he wouldn’t do any sexual intercourse with a young woman. After four months that young woman was threatened by his sons. He left the house and took that young woman with him and settled in next village on Mahendra Highway. When family members asked him, the old man and that young lady told them everything. Nowadays that lady is living with her son. The old man died two years ago. This shows sexual desire is strong. It never dies.
Possible Questions
1. In your opinion, why does Koirala choose to write mythical story in modern times?