Vir Dev, the King of Devgarh, loved to pass his time in luxury. He loved good food and merriments. Luckily for him, there was no threat to his kingdom because his neighbourhood kings had good relations with Devgarh. He was not much bothered about his own administration because his ministers and officers were honest and efficient.
The king had a very affectionate brother-in-law who sent him different gifts from time to time, particularly silk shirts. Once he sent a very colourful kurta. The king was delighted and he put it on, But, as he struggled through it, its stitches burst open. The king was surprised. His brother-in-law’s tailor had his measurements. The fellow would not dare make a mistake.
How then did this happen?
Suddenly the king became conscious of the fact that he had grown very fat. He now realized why for the past year he was gasping for breath whenever he walked a little. “Mantri,” he called his minister, “Ask our physician to give me some medicine for slimming.”
“As you please, Your Highness, “said the minister.
The physician gave a variety of medicines. If anything, they made the king grow fatter! For nobody dared to suggest to him that he simplify his dietary habit! The king got very annoyed. “Put the physician behind bars. And announce throughout the kingdom that anybody who can cure me of my obesity will receive one-fourth of our kingdom as his reward!”
The announcement was made. But the minister instructed the announcers to whisper to anyone who offered to take up the task that if he failed he shall be hanged! The minister did this because he was afraid of a possible rush of ambitious or greedy people who might give bad medicines to the king endangering his life.
Nobody came forward to treat the king. At last a man who looked like a yogi met the minister and offered to treat the king, despite the risk involved.
The minister ushered him into the king’s bed chamber. “I can begin giving medicines only after I have studied the king’s horoscope,” he said.
He was handed over the horoscope. He studied it for a while and then heaved a sigh.
Looking at the minister, he said, “I’m sorry, I will not treat the king.”
“Why?” asked the minister and the king both equally surprised.
“Please don’t ask me why,” said the yogi.
That only enhanced the curiosity of the king and his minister. They insisted on knowing what the yogi had in
his mind. Very reluctantly the yogi said, “The king is destined to die exactly after three months. What use wasting
medicines on him?”
The king and the minister sat stunned for long. Then the minister asked, “Are you sure?” “If you doubt my statement,
you may take me prisoner. If the king survives the last day of the third month, hang me!” said the yogi.
The king was sure that what the yogi said was bound to happen. He sat glum.
“Is there no way to ward off the danger?” asked the minister.
“Death can be delayed if the king succeeds in catching a sparrow barehanded during the three months. He must make
the effort only for an hour every day.”
“What will he do with the sparrow?” asked the minister.
“He won’t have to do anything. I will do whatever ritual is to be performed with the sparrow,” said the yogi.
The yogi was detained in a suite in the palace. The king took to bed. He ate very little and went without sleep night
after night.
A large number of sparrows descended in the royal garden at sunset. At the insistence of the minister, the king tried to catch one of them. He ran behind them and tried to pounce on them, but his efforts went in vain.
Three months passed. The king had stopped talking during the last few days of that period. But when a full day passed after the period of three months and yet nothing happened, the king sprang out of his bed and rushed to the suite in which the yogi was detained and shouted, “Come on, you liar, get ready to be hanged!”
“Hanged? But I was expecting my reward!”
“What do you mean?” demanded the agitated king.
“Your Majesty, whatever I did or said was a part of my treatment. Now, will you please look into a mirror and see yourself?” said the yogi.
The king calmed down. Slowly a smile bloomed on his face. He saw himself in a mirror. He had slimmed considerably.
Needless to say, the thought of death, his lack of interest in food, and his sleeplessness, together with his running after the sparrows, had done the magic.
The king was ready to part with one-fourth of his kingdom. But the hermit only secured the physician’s release and wanted nothing for himself,
He was found to be a ‘childhood friend of the king. Both of them had been students at the same gurukul run by a sage.
