In the ancient times students lived in hermitages and took education from the saints and hermits. And these sages and hermits offered them knowledge in different sciences without any discrimination, and made them conversant with every subject. One such religious instructor was Maharshi Gautam. Maharshi Gautam had a great residential teaching institution with hundreds of students studying in it.
Once many disciples of the Maharshi returned to their homes after having finished their education, but one of his disciples, Utank, who had also finished his education, did not get permission to return to his village. Utank also, out of devotion and love for his teacher, did not express his wish to return to his home.
One day Utank was bringing wood from the forest for fuel used for offering sacrifice. He had loaded the bundle of wood on his head. While unloading it many of his hair got caught in the bundle and came off his scalp. He realized that his hair was turning gray. This made him very sad. He began thinking - ’My hair has turned gray and I am still lying in the hermitage.’
His sadness was writ large on his face. During his evening time prayer, Maharshi Gautam saw his sad face and asked “Dear boy! What makes you so sad?”
Utank narrated his plight. Hearing this Gautam was lost in thoughts. He said, “It’s because of my extreme affection for you and your devotion for me that I did not even remember to consider this point. Indeed I have done great injustice to you. The service rendered by you to the hermitage for so long is equal to fee paid for the education imparted to you by me. Now you may go back home and lead the life of a married man. I bless you. The period spent by you here after having finished your education will have no effect on your life span.”
“But, Sir ! I shall be failing in my duty if I didn’t pay my fee. Kindly allow me,” said Utank with folded hands.
“Dear Utank! The grea-*test*-('") fee paid by a disciple is the satisfaction of the teacher in the service received from his disciple. I consider having received my fee. Go and take the blessing of Ahalya, my wife,” said Gautam.
Utank went to his teacher’s wife, Ahalya, and asked for her permission to allow him to pay his fee. Ahalya too was satisfied with the service rendered by Utank throughout this period. So she too allowed him to return without paying any fee.
But when Utank began insisting Ahalya said, “Dear Utank! If you are so insistent you may bring the earrings, studded with gems, of queen Madayanti, wife of King Sudas”
Utank bowed before her and set off to bring the earrings. But when Maharshi Gautam heard this he said to his wife, Ahalya, “Dear Ahalya this is not correct. King Sudas is no more a Brahmin. He has become a demon. You have put his life in danger by asking for the earrings of Queen Madyanti.”
Ahalya said with a smile, “If the education imparted to him in your hermitage is of no worth at this point of juncture, his entry into marital life will also be of no use to him.”
Moving ahead Utank reached a solitary forest. Suddenly a frightening demon came and stood before him. Seeing Utank before him the demon laughed loudly and said, “It’s my great fortune that my prey itself has come before me without my making any effort. Right now I am very hungry and was in search of food.”
Despite seeing so ferocious a demon before him Utankdidn’t fear. He said to the demon with great courage, “O demon! I am going to the capital of King Sudas to arrange the fee of my teacher. I need the earrings of Queen Madyanti. You are not supposed to kill a Brahmin when he is going to arrange his teacher’s fee.”
The demon laughed louder. He said, “I am Sudas. A Brahmin cursed me for a very minor mistake of mine and now I am in this form. I don’t spare any Brahmin.”
Utank said, “I cannot free you from the curse. Yes, but this much I can promise that after paying the fee to my teacher, I shall definitely return to you. It’s my good luck that the fee to be paid by me is with you. Kindly help me.”
The demon said, “Under these circumstances there isn’t anything that I can give you. I cannot even go and tell the queen to give you the earrings. Yes, I am very happy with your truthfulness, and so I spare you for the time being. Go and ask the queen for her earrings. Please also tell her that you saw King Sudas in the form of a demon, and also that I have asked her to give you the earrings.”
Utank set off for the capital and reached there. He met queen Madyanti and explained his purpose. He also narrated his meeting with the cursed king in the forest and also that he had sent a word for the queen to give her earrings. Hearing him speak thus queen Madyanti said, “O Brahmin! I cannot disobey my husband. You may happily take away my earrings. But these earrings are supernatural. If someone puts them on without observing cleanliness, they can be taken away by some demi-god. If someone sleeps with the earrings in the ears, it’s quite likely that the gods will steal them. So you will have to be very careful while carrying them to your teacher’s wife.”
Utank wrapped both the supernatural earrings in a deerskin and set off for the hermitage. While still on his way he felt hungry. He saw a tree laden with fruit at a distance. He tied the deerskin, with earrings in it, to a branch of the tree and began shaking it to make the fruit fall on the ground. During the process the knot of the deerskin loosened. It fell on the ground. Now both the earrings were lying out of the deerskin.
Seeing this, Utank quickly climbed down the tree. But before he could reach the ground, suddenly from nowhere, a cobra, seeing the brilliance of the earrings, came there and taking the earrings in its mouth went into the hole.
Utank felt that he had wasted all his labor, but did not lose courage. He pulled a twig from the tree and began digging the hole of the snake.
Utank got tired of digging the hole but all in vain. It seemed endless. But he continued digging it.
There is a saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” Seeing the determination of Utank, Lord Indra came in the form of a Brahmin and said to him, “Dear boy! This ordinary twig won’t be able to take you to the end of this hole. Put the point of my Vajra on one end of the twig and then dig the hole. This will surely give you success.”
Utank took the point of the Vajra from Indra in Brahmin form and fixed it on one end of the twig and began digging and could dig quite deep into the hole. Utank saw that the inside of the snake’s hole was full of supernatural brilliance of the earrings, and the cobra had coiled around it. But as soon as Utank advanced to take the earrings the cobra began hissing violently spreading its hood. Utank raised the twig, with the point of Indra’s thunderbolt on one end of it to hit the cobra. The cobra saw that it was Lord Indra himself standing behind Utank to help him and got frightened. He left the place and quickly went away from there.
Utank picked up the earrings and again wrapped them in the deerskin. He returned the point of the thunderbolt to Indra who had come there in the form of Brahmin. Lord Indra smiled and said, “Go dear boy! You journey may complete without any hindrance.”
Utank reached the hermitage and giving the earrings to his teacher’s wife, Ahalya, he offered his salutes. Maharshi Gautam and Ahalya praised him for his courage and giving their blessings they permitted him to go home.
Utank said, “Sir! I have to fulfill one more promise before going home,” and then he gave a detailed description of King Sudas in the form of a demon.
Hearing this Maharshi Gautam became worried. He said, “Dear boy! Why are you yourself going into the mouth of death. This time you have survived, but now if you go before him, you are sure to be devoured by him.”
Utank said with a smile, “Sir how can I deviate from the path of truth from fear of death?”
Gautam only said, “As you wish.”
Utank set off again and reached the same forest. Seeing him the demon appeared and stood before him. Utank said, “O King of demons ! Having done the duty of paying the fee to my teacher, I have returned to fulfill my promise. Now you may fulfill your desire.”
The demon saw Utank standing before him. He found him fearless and detached. Slowly the demon began changing his form. And after some time he returned to his original form of King Sudas. He folded his hands before Utank and said, “O Brahmin! You have freed me from the curse with your truthfulness. I had asked the Brahmin, who had cursed me, for a remedy, and he had said - ’One day a truthful Brahmin will come, and without caring for his life he will offer himself to be eaten by you in order to fulfill his promise. And that will be the moment when you will be freed from the curse.”
Utank blessed King Sudas and proceeded in the direction of his home. Now he had to enter Marital life and settle down.
Once many disciples of the Maharshi returned to their homes after having finished their education, but one of his disciples, Utank, who had also finished his education, did not get permission to return to his village. Utank also, out of devotion and love for his teacher, did not express his wish to return to his home.
One day Utank was bringing wood from the forest for fuel used for offering sacrifice. He had loaded the bundle of wood on his head. While unloading it many of his hair got caught in the bundle and came off his scalp. He realized that his hair was turning gray. This made him very sad. He began thinking - ’My hair has turned gray and I am still lying in the hermitage.’
His sadness was writ large on his face. During his evening time prayer, Maharshi Gautam saw his sad face and asked “Dear boy! What makes you so sad?”
Utank narrated his plight. Hearing this Gautam was lost in thoughts. He said, “It’s because of my extreme affection for you and your devotion for me that I did not even remember to consider this point. Indeed I have done great injustice to you. The service rendered by you to the hermitage for so long is equal to fee paid for the education imparted to you by me. Now you may go back home and lead the life of a married man. I bless you. The period spent by you here after having finished your education will have no effect on your life span.”
“But, Sir ! I shall be failing in my duty if I didn’t pay my fee. Kindly allow me,” said Utank with folded hands.
“Dear Utank! The grea-*test*-('") fee paid by a disciple is the satisfaction of the teacher in the service received from his disciple. I consider having received my fee. Go and take the blessing of Ahalya, my wife,” said Gautam.
Utank went to his teacher’s wife, Ahalya, and asked for her permission to allow him to pay his fee. Ahalya too was satisfied with the service rendered by Utank throughout this period. So she too allowed him to return without paying any fee.
But when Utank began insisting Ahalya said, “Dear Utank! If you are so insistent you may bring the earrings, studded with gems, of queen Madayanti, wife of King Sudas”
Utank bowed before her and set off to bring the earrings. But when Maharshi Gautam heard this he said to his wife, Ahalya, “Dear Ahalya this is not correct. King Sudas is no more a Brahmin. He has become a demon. You have put his life in danger by asking for the earrings of Queen Madyanti.”
Ahalya said with a smile, “If the education imparted to him in your hermitage is of no worth at this point of juncture, his entry into marital life will also be of no use to him.”
Moving ahead Utank reached a solitary forest. Suddenly a frightening demon came and stood before him. Seeing Utank before him the demon laughed loudly and said, “It’s my great fortune that my prey itself has come before me without my making any effort. Right now I am very hungry and was in search of food.”
Despite seeing so ferocious a demon before him Utankdidn’t fear. He said to the demon with great courage, “O demon! I am going to the capital of King Sudas to arrange the fee of my teacher. I need the earrings of Queen Madyanti. You are not supposed to kill a Brahmin when he is going to arrange his teacher’s fee.”
The demon laughed louder. He said, “I am Sudas. A Brahmin cursed me for a very minor mistake of mine and now I am in this form. I don’t spare any Brahmin.”
Utank said, “I cannot free you from the curse. Yes, but this much I can promise that after paying the fee to my teacher, I shall definitely return to you. It’s my good luck that the fee to be paid by me is with you. Kindly help me.”
The demon said, “Under these circumstances there isn’t anything that I can give you. I cannot even go and tell the queen to give you the earrings. Yes, I am very happy with your truthfulness, and so I spare you for the time being. Go and ask the queen for her earrings. Please also tell her that you saw King Sudas in the form of a demon, and also that I have asked her to give you the earrings.”
Utank set off for the capital and reached there. He met queen Madyanti and explained his purpose. He also narrated his meeting with the cursed king in the forest and also that he had sent a word for the queen to give her earrings. Hearing him speak thus queen Madyanti said, “O Brahmin! I cannot disobey my husband. You may happily take away my earrings. But these earrings are supernatural. If someone puts them on without observing cleanliness, they can be taken away by some demi-god. If someone sleeps with the earrings in the ears, it’s quite likely that the gods will steal them. So you will have to be very careful while carrying them to your teacher’s wife.”
Utank wrapped both the supernatural earrings in a deerskin and set off for the hermitage. While still on his way he felt hungry. He saw a tree laden with fruit at a distance. He tied the deerskin, with earrings in it, to a branch of the tree and began shaking it to make the fruit fall on the ground. During the process the knot of the deerskin loosened. It fell on the ground. Now both the earrings were lying out of the deerskin.
Seeing this, Utank quickly climbed down the tree. But before he could reach the ground, suddenly from nowhere, a cobra, seeing the brilliance of the earrings, came there and taking the earrings in its mouth went into the hole.
Utank felt that he had wasted all his labor, but did not lose courage. He pulled a twig from the tree and began digging the hole of the snake.
Utank got tired of digging the hole but all in vain. It seemed endless. But he continued digging it.
There is a saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” Seeing the determination of Utank, Lord Indra came in the form of a Brahmin and said to him, “Dear boy! This ordinary twig won’t be able to take you to the end of this hole. Put the point of my Vajra on one end of the twig and then dig the hole. This will surely give you success.”
Utank took the point of the Vajra from Indra in Brahmin form and fixed it on one end of the twig and began digging and could dig quite deep into the hole. Utank saw that the inside of the snake’s hole was full of supernatural brilliance of the earrings, and the cobra had coiled around it. But as soon as Utank advanced to take the earrings the cobra began hissing violently spreading its hood. Utank raised the twig, with the point of Indra’s thunderbolt on one end of it to hit the cobra. The cobra saw that it was Lord Indra himself standing behind Utank to help him and got frightened. He left the place and quickly went away from there.
Utank picked up the earrings and again wrapped them in the deerskin. He returned the point of the thunderbolt to Indra who had come there in the form of Brahmin. Lord Indra smiled and said, “Go dear boy! You journey may complete without any hindrance.”
Utank reached the hermitage and giving the earrings to his teacher’s wife, Ahalya, he offered his salutes. Maharshi Gautam and Ahalya praised him for his courage and giving their blessings they permitted him to go home.
Utank said, “Sir! I have to fulfill one more promise before going home,” and then he gave a detailed description of King Sudas in the form of a demon.
Hearing this Maharshi Gautam became worried. He said, “Dear boy! Why are you yourself going into the mouth of death. This time you have survived, but now if you go before him, you are sure to be devoured by him.”
Utank said with a smile, “Sir how can I deviate from the path of truth from fear of death?”
Gautam only said, “As you wish.”
Utank set off again and reached the same forest. Seeing him the demon appeared and stood before him. Utank said, “O King of demons ! Having done the duty of paying the fee to my teacher, I have returned to fulfill my promise. Now you may fulfill your desire.”
The demon saw Utank standing before him. He found him fearless and detached. Slowly the demon began changing his form. And after some time he returned to his original form of King Sudas. He folded his hands before Utank and said, “O Brahmin! You have freed me from the curse with your truthfulness. I had asked the Brahmin, who had cursed me, for a remedy, and he had said - ’One day a truthful Brahmin will come, and without caring for his life he will offer himself to be eaten by you in order to fulfill his promise. And that will be the moment when you will be freed from the curse.”
Utank blessed King Sudas and proceeded in the direction of his home. Now he had to enter Marital life and settle down.
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