There was once a very learned and wise monk. His name was Lei Wunk. He had mastered all the ancient philosophies and religious scriptures. He had studied under the highest philosophical Masters of the time in Tibet and India. He was traveling to the great city of Pushpa Aranya in India to spread his religious philosophies. To reach the city he had to get across the river Brahmaputra. He climbed onto a passenger boat. The wooden boat could carry a maximum of three passengers along with the boatsman.
The wooden boat was carrying another man and a child as well. On conversing with the man Lei Wunk came to know that the man was the heir to the throne of Pushpa Aranya. His name was Prince Vichitra Virya. The Prince had just completed his Gurukul education and was returning to Pushpa Aranya to be coronated as the next King.
Lei Wunk took a quick look at the child who was a slender looking eight-year-old boy with sunburnt dark skin and long disheveled hair. He was not so much curious about the identity of the child. So, he did not try to ask him his name or who he was. He, however, asked the boatsman's name and came to know that it was Shishupal.
Shisupal started rowing the boat to get across the Brahmaputra and reach the city of Pushpa Aranya. The boat journey was about two hours long. Shishupal thought that once he reached the city he would head to the Inn for having his lunch and take a short nap before making the return journey. Shishupal sang a local song to entertain his passengers. Lei Wunk was thinking about the great religious work he was about to do when he reached the city. Vichitra Virya was excited at the prospect of becoming the new King. While the little child was happy to see the river and enjoyed the journey listening to Shisupal's beautiful song.
Somewhere, in the middle of the journey, the weather changed suddenly. It started raining very heavily and the boat was being tossed in the raging river. Suddenly, there was a leak in the boat and water started filling inside the boat. The Prince and the Monk got worried that the boat would sink. However, the child remained calm. Shisupal said that he was an expert boatsman and he had faced similar situations before. He said that he could steer the boat to safety. But, there was a problem. He said that two of the passengers had to voluntarily jump off the boat so that he could maintain the balance of the boat. Only one passenger's life could be saved.
At this point, Dr. Ashok Rai stopped the story narration and turned to the class. "Who are the two people you think who should jump off this boat?".
My classmate Aarti lifted her hand. The professor gave her permission to speak and she answered,"Sir, I think the Prince and the Monk should jump off the boat. They should save the innocent child's life."
Next, my classmate, Alok answered,"Sir, I think the Monk's life is more important. Since he can save thousands of more lives by spreading the message of peace and love."
One of my other classmates Neha also answered,"Sir, I think the King's life is the most important. Since a great ruler could transform a whole Nation."
Our Professor appreciated all their answers. Finally, he turned to me and asked, "Rohit do you agree with any of them or do you have your own theory?".
I got up shyly and looked around me. Everyone seemed to have fixated their eyes on the last bencher. I adjusted my looking glasses and coughed slightly to clear my throat's dryness. I answered in a low tone,"Yes Sir, I have a theory of my own. Though, I am afraid it may not be correct."
"It's alright Rohit, go on please," the professor encouraged me. So I began,"Sir, I think that the boatsman was a liar. If he would have really been in this situation before there was no need for anyone to die. Lei Wunk was a wise person. The instant he got into the boat he noticed that the child was the boatsman's own son or kin. The way the child felt confident and self-assured in the presence of strangers made him feel that the boy was somehow related to the boatsman. So, he did not bother to ask the child about his identity when he got into the boat.
Shisupal perhaps was aware that the weather would be bad along the journey. His remark that he had been in this situation indicates that he had looted several of his passengers in the same manner. Most of the passengers would see the little child and out of pity would jump off into the river leaving their luggage in the boat. Some others that did not want to die would offer to pay him a handsome fee if he helped them to cross the river safely. So, it was a Win-Win situation for Shisupal.
Sensing the situation, Lei Wunk would have whispered the wicked plot of Shisupal to the Prince. The Prince angered by the boatsman's deceit would have threatened Shisupal to steer the boat to safety or face dire consequences. On reaching the city, Shisupal would be reprimanded for his crimes."
There was pin-drop silence in the class once I finished my narration. The Professor looked at me with admiration and remarked,"Great thinking Rohit," and started clapping. The whole class started clapping and applauded my theory.
The End
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