A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya

form. Now, once again there was a smile
on her face. To take the countenance
lustrous with compassion for a receptacle
of sorrow and repentance was my madness.
She came. She sat silent. Nothing could
come out from my lips as well. After
this hush and muteness of ours for some
time, she enquired, ‘‘Gentle, can you
actually help me?’’
‘‘Why this misgiving, Niuniya? Have
I ever said anything I've hesitated to carry
out?’’
‘‘But if at all in doing me service, you
do some wrong?’’
‘‘Look here Niuniya, I've seen with
my own eyes that besides him who's given
you refuge you needn't have anybody else's
assistance, still just to put me to test
you're telling this. My reply is forthright.
Generally, they've a tendency to think
about right and wrong, proper and improper
through a closed rut, I don't associate
myself with such people. I do distinguish
between the apt and inapt with my own
sense. I treat all work done under the
spell of attachment and greed as downright
improper, but I've not always been able
to steer clear of the twin foes. Today
itself I've taken a great vow and resolution.
I don't know how far I shall carry myself.
I haven't been able to save myself from
the unbecoming, but I've staked even my
life to execute due things on occasions
suggesting themselves. Tell me where
I must stand by you. Thou knowest me.
I trust you won't let me lean towards
the unseemly.’’
Nipunika laughed. ‘‘Now you're out
for an escape. Don you expect from a
woman like me to make you her ally for
a rightful cause? You're naive indeed,’’
said she.
‘‘Then tell me what after all I'll have
to do,’’ although perturbed in reality,
I rejoined with a little bit of firmness.
This time Nipunika laughed heartily,
but confided, ‘‘Will have to rescue a house
of prayer.’’
I got it: A temple, that is, a woman.
It's no unbecoming work. I, too, with
a subdued guffaw replied, ‘‘God Mahavarah
has been a saviour unto you; I'm anxietyfree.
Who is the other fly in the soup?’’
‘‘Bhatt, the semblance of a temple you've
noticed in womankind so far was just an
imagination, of your own innocuous mind.
Today I'll show you a positive house of
prayer. But, for the purpose you'll have
to enter the junior royal family in the
guise of a girl friend of mine. And must
rescue that temple from a bog. Today's
the most opportune. Mahavarah is my
help indeed. He himself has sent you
here. Even if you hadn’t come, I was
obliged to undertake it. Speak, gentle,
will you be able to execute it? Do you
have the nerve and daring to reclaim a
fettered Lakshmi[5] from the fort of demons?
Do you relish to liberate the eternally
milch cow (of the gods) entrenched deep
in mud? Be forthright, I've to depart
January-March 2012 :: 39