Part 21 (2/2)

He sat down again, thought for long, and remained on where he was.

That night remorse kept the girl awake. She began to dread her power and hate her triumph, yet her mind tossed on the waves of turbulent delight.

In the morning she came and saluted the ascetic and asked his blessing, saying she must leave him.

He gazed on her face in silence, then said, ”Go, and may your wish be fulfilled.”

For years he sat alone till his penance was complete.

The Lord of the Immortals came down to tell him that he had won Paradise.

”I no longer need it,” said he.

The G.o.d asked him what greater reward he desired.

”I want the girl who gathers twigs.”

24

They said that Kabir, the weaver, was favoured of G.o.d, and the crowd flocked round him for medicine and miracles. But he was troubled; his low birth had hitherto endowed him with a most precious obscurity to sweeten with songs and with the presence of his G.o.d. He prayed that it might be restored.

Envious of the repute of this outcast, the priests leagued themselves with a harlot to disgrace him. Kabir came to the market to sell cloths from his loom; when the woman grasped his hand, blaming him for being faithless, and followed him to his house, saying she would not be forsaken, Kabir said to himself, ”G.o.d answers prayers in his own way.”

Soon the woman felt a s.h.i.+ver of fear and fell on her knees and cried, ”Save me from my sin!” To which he said, ”Open your life to G.o.d's light!”

Kabir worked at his loom and sang, and his songs washed the stains from that woman's heart, and by way of return found a home in her sweet voice.

One day the King, in a fit of caprice, sent a message to Kabir to come and sing before him. The weaver shook his head: but the messenger dared not leave his door till his master's errand was fulfilled.

The King and his courtiers started at the sight of Kabir when he entered the hall. For he was not alone, the woman followed him. Some smiled, some frowned, and the King's face darkened at the beggar's pride and shamelessness.

Kabir came back to his house disgraced, the woman fell at his feet crying, ”Why accept such dishonour for my sake, master? Suffer me to go back to my infamy!”

Kabir said, ”I dare not turn my G.o.d away when he comes branded with insult.”

25

SOMAKA AND RITVIK

SOMAKA AND RITVIK

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