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SCENE 2

Young Sathya used many methods in order to turn people towards the spiritual path. One of these was to form a Bhajan group for boys. Sathya led the boys in singing Bhajan songs that were in praise of Vittala, one of the names of Lord Krishna.

One day, these boys arrange a special Bhajan programme for the benefit of the villagers. The event is a great success. Everyone is filled with bliss.

Easwaramma is especially proud of her son. When Satya returns home, she performs a small ritual that was supposed to ward off evil and jealous eyes.

SATHYA: Mother, why do you have to do all this? No evil eye can touch Me!

VENKAMMA: You sang Bhajans so well, and everyone was closely looking at You. Some of them might have had evil eyes, and mother is doing this to cancel the bad effect.

SATHYA: Everyone looks at the idol of God but nothing happens to the idol.

EASWARAMMA: That’s different. People look at idols with love and devotion. Here, people could be jealous. I don’t want You to be affected by evil eyes.

SATHYA: When sparks of jealousy fall on the waters of Divinity, it is the fire that gets extinguished! Nothing happens to the water, does it?

KONDAMA RAJU: How well said, Sathyam! These are the words of One who has digested the whole of spirituality!

VENKAMA RAJU: These are words far beyond Your age! That’s why we are anxious to shield You from evil eyes!!

EASWARAMMA: Enough! All of you come now for food!

SCENE 3

Kondama Raju is getting on in years. One day, he calls all the members of his family together, and announces his intention to divide his possessions among his four sons. The scene is Kondama’s house.

KONDAMA RAJU: You all may be wondering why father has called you. Your father is becoming old. And there are still some duties to be performed. All along, I have been managing the ancestral property of the Ratnakara Family, and my own finances. You, my sons, have families and the responsibility of bringing up your children. From now on, you will do the managing. Your eldest brother Venkama [Raju] who is like a father to you all, will explain all this in detail.

VENKAMA RAJU: You have heard what father said. His view is that the property has to be divided some time or the other. The details of the division have been recorded by him personally on these papers. …… [hands out the papers] Read them, and convey your response to father. [to Kondama Raju] If you leave everything to us, what about yourself?

KONDAMA RAJU: Why do I need any property? Are not all of you my property? What do I need? Just some food, that’s all. That I’ll cook myself.

SATHYA: Grandfather!

KONDAMA RAJU: Venkama, I have a small request! ……. Give me your son Sathyam; that’s enough! I will be as happy as if I have received all the traditional eight great forms of wealth….. Well, Venkama?

VENKAMA RAJU: Sathyam is your grandson. Why ask me?

KONDAMA RAJU: That word is enough! If any of you have any doubts about the property division, ask me.

ONE OF THE SONS: We have no doubts.

ANOTHER SON: We have never questioned your decisions!

THIRD SON: Let things proceed as you wish.

KONDAMA RAJU: Good! Venkama, prepare the formal documents and have the property divided. Sathyam is my property now, and also my everything!

SCENE 4

The ancestral property of the Ratnakara family has been duly partitioned among the four sons of Kondama Raju. Kondama now moves into a small hut and lives there along with Sathya. One day, Kondama is cooking. The smoke irritates his eyes, and tears come out.

SATHYA: Grandfather, why are you crying?

KONDAMA RAJU: These are not tears of sorrow, my grandson, they are tears of Bliss! Also, these onions are adding to the tears!

Sathya now takes over the cooking. After a while, ……

KONDAMA RAJU: Sathya! Oh, what a wonderful aroma! Serve me quick!

SATHYA: Wait grandpa! The cooking is not yet over!!

When the cooking is over, Sathya serves food to His grandfather, and both start eating.

KONDAMA RAJU: It’s very nice, very nice! ……..[to Sathya] How is it?

SATHYA: Very nice!

KONDAMA RAJU: It’s Your cooking!

At this stage, Easwaramma enters the house, bringing some dishes that she has prepared at her home.

EASWARAMMA: What! Grandfather and grandson are already eating?!

KONDAMA RAJU: Yes!

EASWARAMMA: But I have prepared food and brought it!

KONDAMA RAJU: No my dear. Sathyam has already done the cooking for today. Do you know how tasty His cooking is?

EASWARAMMA: What?! Sathyam did the cooking?

SATHYA: Yes mother!

KONDAMA RAJU: Cooking is one of the sixty-four arts. Is there any art that my grandson does not know?!

EASWARAMMA: Very good! With that wonderful cooking of the grandson, grandpa’s stomach must be nearly full! Now that you have finished food, let me serve some pudding as dessert!

KONDAMA RAJU: Go ahead my dear!….. Now tell me grandson, how is mother’s cooking?

(To be continued)

- Heart2Heart Team