Destined Destination, But may be we can yet travel in style!

'Destiny', I could see ... could not control only one thing perhaps... a debate about it!

So, no point in debating about that singular exclusive characteristic about it, its evasiveness about its own conclusiveness!

But no harm in having stories about it..! Rich entertainment value at least!

The first story dates back to those days, when astrologers were really good... The best one was allowed the privilege of going into day to day details about the king's horoscope.. it used to make sense.... if the king is 'ably' guided, the subjects can afford small inconsistencies about their own individual predictions from astrologers of lesser expertise, since a King takes 'real' care of his subjects, not like our 'security bills' of democratic governments where even scams are not for 'collective good' of all those involved (wrong predictions dominate even in scams... somebody scuttles even the investigations, when a deal 'goes through' mid way, enough to shelve the scams-reports, not the scam itself!..  Obviously, today's astrologers bear the brunt!)

One such 'good' astrologer of an ancient King was taking a stroll on the sea shore, and found a skull!.. A human skull... He would have discarded it, but his 'expertise' reached even beyond skill level, lines on the palms of a live-hand! He interpreted it with reference to a known verbal form of his days... Yes, a Sanskrit sloka came in his mind... “Kinchit sheshaam Bhavishyati” meaning “something more is in store!” He was intrigued! He became curious to know 'what is ... more... in store... for a mere skull?'... He picked it up, took it home, locked it up in a trunk box, not willing to take chances, missing the 'event' in store for it!

Days passed by... Mrs. Astrologer, a devoted lady, observed 'some' change in her Mister! 'Hey!', she thought... 'this guy was never so secretive! Every day, he unlocks, and then opens the trunk box, takes a look, and quietly closes it, locks it!.. He doesn't even trust me, to even tell me what it is all about!'... Thus, the gossip went out of the home, into that 'ever-waiting' neighboring lady... Such gossips are invariably 'across' a fencing around the back yard, for obvious reasons! So it was that the gossip snowballed into a suspicion now.. Mrs. Neighbour somehow managed to convince Mrs.Astro'.. 'Look, poor thing you! Should not be too sincere thus! Prone to get deceived!... Your Mister is 'otherwise' a very good guy... but... you see... one can never 'predict' when they become 'confirmed' husbands!... Better be on the guard.. that is all I can say'... This non-committal way of pushing the 'message' did work the trick! Our Mrs. Astro could 'see'..... so clearly! That the other lady is not exactly about creating a 'divide' between the spouses... but only a 'true-well-wisher'... So she now 'consulted' instead of the hitherto gossip.. the consultation 'seamlessly' got interwoven into a conspiracy!

They waited for the right moment... Our Mr.Astro-ji had to attend to royal summons, and was away for a day or two... The ladies teamed up (the job-requirement!), to break open using a 'manly-hammer' that wretched enemy, the box, that housed the 'secret'!... And we already know what was there... Only the ladies 'wowed!' at the element of surprise that met their eyes!

The justification was from the 'other side' of the fence... 'It has to be some lady... our 'hero' might have been running after before he met you'... This is something that catches fire very instantly without requiring a second match stick even! They lost no time... the hammer is already there ready! Only the receptacle is to be changed... At the backyard stood the grain-pounding stone with a crevice 'just enough' to contain this damned skull... So it got pounded, the hammer changing hands, when they were tired to hold it...

Our hero, Mr.Astrologer, happened to cut-short his visit, and came right-through... in.. the ladies even forgot to latch the front door.. .. He was famished with thirst and hunger, so walked straight towards the kitchen to hunt for something to bite, and drink... But lo! Strange noises from back yard.. He peeped out of the kitchen window... And in an instant, he could 'see it all'...

He had a hearty laugh!

Second story!

(Obviously, the second one has to be a bit, spiritual-oriented... otherwise, if upturned, people will leave this story-business right here!..... But only one more story ... for the present !)

This story came to me during a question-answer session... Can spirituality help to maneuver destiny?

The teacher said 'Yes, to a certain extent...' And I could see... the story had to contain 'characters' of spiritual orientation!

The story:

A great sage, took leave of his pregnant wife, leaving her to the care of his chief disciple, with instructions, 'not-to-allow' anyone inside the place when she was delivering the baby!

The D-day came! Our disciple-in-chief stood guard! Nobody was going to come there in that forest hermitage, he thought, and sat by the door, a bit relaxed..

But no! Deputy superintendent of Lord Brahma arrived to write that kid's destiny under 'delegated' authority, under powers conferred unto him, in strict conformity with 'general plan' envisaged by Shri Brahma for the entire planet!

Our disciple was a senior one, and had 'good' powers... He could 'see' that Dy.S.D... He denied entry! Baffled, the dignitary-official of Office of Brahma, department of scripting-future of new born male kids, retreated, and requested his boss, 'Sir... it is a VIP case involved... You yourself have to take 'proper-action'!...' Brahma-ji, seeing no other alternative, asked his 'other' deputy to officiate for a while, and presented himself at this stupid hut, only to be confronted by this 'denial-mode' of our disciple-ji!... An arguement ensued.. This disciple was very confident, anything on 'behalf of a Guru' sails through , sans-recourse!.. He issued a threat, “I will curse you, if you force an entry!”... Brahma-ji was not unfamiliar with repercussions of a curse... he had already lost a head into it! He could not afford to take any 'more' chances! Especially if 'voting-pattern' .... up there.... at some future date... turns into a mere 'head-count' not withstanding the 'excellent creative contents within a head'(Brahma-ji's destiny, as always is decided by his own boss, the 'higher-high-command'!)! They both consulted the 'opposition' parties, separately, and secretly too, before arriving at a pact, an agreement!

1. Brahma was to be allowed a 'one-time-entry' for a specific purpose, to write whatever 'nonsense' on the forehead of that kid (usually that was the space allotted—the forehead-- for 'extraneous matter', ......like endorsements on the reverse of our Bank cheque... the obverse was 'governed' by negotiability-laws!)...
2. Brahma ji had laid a stipulation... that the disciple will not make any 'public-disclosure' under any event.. even a future CBI enquiry... about the 'contents' written on the forehead.. to this, our disciple agreed (he had 'good' politicians around, to tell him about... how to deal with 'CBI' people!).
3. Ah yes! This point should have been under number 'one' or even earlier.. The disciple agreed to permit that one-time-entry to Brahma, only on the condition that the latter would 'disclose' what was written on the forehead!... (Now the readers will be able to understand the politics behind the MOU....!!!

And so it came to be that the child delivery was 'normal' (normally it was 'normal' in those days!).. The kid grew up into a fine boy... He could even support his mother by himself... It was time for the disciple to move to other places, he had to spread his knowledge! The guru never came back (that was the story!.. dunno why!)... The kid became a cowherd! That is all, that was written on his forehead! Now, please do not ask how I came to know? I forgot to ask this to my teacher!...

Years passed by...

It so happened, the disciple(now himself a Guru-like, but let us keep it as 'disciple' to avoid confusions in this story.. please!)... the disciple had to once again pass that very same way... where this kid was tending cows... The lad had grown up, and the disciple could not recognise him from his looks.. But that lad at once recognised the 'disciple-uncle', and said, 'Hello'... They had that emotional 'routine'... and after initial enquiries, the disciple decided to 'get down to business' now!

Disciple: 'Do you still respect me, trust me.. and therefore will obey me, unconditionally?'

Kid: 'Respected Uncle ji!! What a question to ask! Of course... why the doubt at all? My dad, your Guru never asked you thus!!! Check your own 'premises' please... if you may!'..

Disciple: 'Okay then... Just wanted to make sure.. You will see soon, why I liked to check up first'...

Disciple (continued): From tomorrow on-wards.. till I tell you... Every day... sell one of the cows, before taking it back to your master's cow-shed... for any price offered by a prospective buyer, and .... 'Blow the money... entirely... not saving a penny/paisa/whatever.... I am not too sure about your currencies, and the presently volatile 'exchange' rates you see... too long.. I am out of touch!'

Kid: 'Oh! Only this much! Nothing suits me better... Done!'

And thus a few days passed by...

Brahma ji, this time did not require to be nudged by a deputy... His internal security systems were excellent! He could see the bug, that had crept in!... He saw no way out except to meet that hacker in person, and make yet another deal!

Brahma ji: 'Hello'

Disciple: “Let the hello aside.. no body else is around.. skip the formalities..... please come to the point... I remember our last 'underhand' dealing.. I haven't flouted any norms.... what is your problem?'

Brahma: You know it better! I have to 'replace' that stupid cow.. and unofficially too! My prestige issue you see... can't ask let my deputies to discover a 'flaw' in my unethical MOU with you, years ago!... And I do not have that kind of a clout now-a-days... the opposition has grown too strong over the years... thanks to growing scams that my people have perpetuated over years!'

Disciple: 'Okay... I can offer yet another 'compromise' settlement... Even I am decent you see!... Let your 'writing' continue to prevail... but allow a small loop hole in the 'enactment'....

Brahma: 'Just a minute! Why do you say enactment? It is a 'routine' office order, that my deputies even carry out, writing on the idiot's forehead... he isn't even a VIP... only that you interfered and all this mess now!'

Disciple: 'Doesn't matter what we call it... Anything from 'high command' like you is almost a law, an 'enactment-like'... even if your party spokesperson blurts it his/her way, howsoever crude the language be!.. but lets get to the 'formula'... Let that kid be a cowherd for this entire life time... But... henceforth, let that old tag be just within brackets.. “King” (of cowherds)... this is the best-rate I can offer you right now.. and I must be going... it was only you that I was waiting for, just in case, you have second thoughts... otherwise, I am okay with present status even!

Brahma: 'So be it'!

And then they all lived happily thereafter...

(Yes story is over!)

retold by,

psn (27th August, 2013)