An Indian Folktale
“Sir, is there a paradise?” Vraja, the young disciple, asked the Master for the umpteenth time.
At last the Master replied with another question, “Must you know?”
“Yes, Master, yes!” said the disciple most eagerly.
“Well, my first disciple, Hemchandra, is in paradise,” said the Master and then he closed his eyes for meditation. The disciple knew that the Master would not open his eyes for a long time.
Then Vraja, the young disciple, asked other disciples and tried to find out the way to Hemchandra’s abode.
A senior attendant of the Master said, “I know where he is, though I have myself never been there. Hemchandra, however, had described in details the way to his abode when he was here five years ago.”
Vraja made the man recollect what Hemchandra had said. A thousand miles away, beyond a range of hills and an icy river was situated the valley which was Hemchandra’s home.
Now Vraja was determined to find the valley—for it was paradise!
Before long, Vraja was out on the street and walked as fast as he could for the first few days. Then the way became difficult, full of rocks and thorny meadows. Then he had to climb ranges of mountains and did not find enough food on the way. Afterwards, he had to cross the icy river. That exhausted him almost to death! It took him a full hundred days to reach the last hill before the valley.
Despite his tiredness, he was excited as he climbed the hill. He was going to behold paradise!
He stood on the hill-top and looked at the valley and sighed. It was an ordinary place. There were some trees and bushes and a sparkling rivulet. But he had seen numerous places far more charming than this!
In a corner of the valley stood Hemehandra’s hut, a humble dwelling. Hemchandra was happy to meet this young disciple of his Master. He took care of Vraja to the best of his ability, but Vraja was hardly pleased. Hemchandra had some boiled roots and some common varieties of fruits for his food. Vraja learnt that both the summer and the winter were quite severe there.
And this place his Master called paradise!
After a week’s stay, which was necessary for regaining his lost strength, Vraja left the ‘paradise’.
Another hundred days of strenuous walk and he was back with his Master.
“Master, you had said that Hemchandra was in paradise. But what I saw was the most ordinary place!” he reported.
The Master kept silent for a moment.
Then he said, “My boy, had you been a little more explicit with your intention when you asked about paradise, I would have told you the truth.”
“What is the truth, Sir?” Vraja asked.
The Master replied, “The truth is, Hemchandra is not in paradise, the paradise is in Hemchandra.”