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| Sunday, 5 September 2004 |
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Divine medicine Sunday parable by Sunanda Mahendra "I am so sorry to hear that my son Saliya has fallen in love with a low caste girl. I wanted him to marry a high class Princess, from a royal lineage," said King Dutugemunu to his Chief Advisor and asked what he should do now.
"How did you come to know all these details?" asked the King. "Travellers, pilgrims and even beggars, who pass through the Hopalu Vanaya or the abode of Hopalu flowers, bring quite a lot of information about them". "Are they living happily?" asked the King. "It looks as if they live in utmost happiness. They help themselves and help those who need their help". "What sort of help do they render?" "It looks as if the girl Ashokamala is a traditional physician, a Veda Hamine". "How do you know?" "Quite a number of sick people have been cured by her". "Is that true?" "Yes Great Majesty". At this time King Dutugemunu was suffering from a skin disease. Though quite a number of traditional physicians came to treat him the result was negative. The King suffered more and more so much so he was feeling suicidal. After the dialogue between the King and the Chief Advisor, the King had a desire to obtain treatment from Ashokamala, his son's fiancee. "Will she treat me?" the desperate King asked the Chief Advisor. "Yes my Majesty. It's your word, that matters, I did not want to make any comment. But I feel that if we contact Princess Ashokamala, we can do it as soon as possible". The king went on pondering over the matter for sometime, and said: "I don't mind getting treatment from her. But how am I to see her face to face?" As a matter of fact the King was looking forward to meeting his son. "If I were to take treatment I should go in secrecy", said the King expressing the gravity of his sickness. "Oh Great Majesty, the lady concerned is a physician. Your Highness though a King at present is nevertheless a patient. As such, no matter how you meet her, you would get the treatment". The Chief Advisor's soothing words were valued by the King. "Alright, I agree with you. A King or a nobleman or a saint can fall ill at any time. So go and tell them that I wish to be treated". When Prince Saliya heard about his father's illness, he felt sad. Immediately he informed Asokamala. "I can prepare a certain a herbal gruel, behet h kanda. That should help him, to ease off his illness," replied Ashokamala. "Shall I ask my father to come here while I hide myself", asked Prince Saliya. "You need not hide, but help him to partake of the herbal gruel I prepare". "How soon can you do it?" "As soon as possible. Say tomorrow morning". Prince Saliya informed the royal messenger that it was possible to treat his father the following morning. The royal messenger went to the palace and informed the King. "Alright I agree," said the King. While Ashokamala was preparing the herbal gruel, Prince Saliya was on the look out for his father whom he had not seen for sometime. Then the time came for the King to meet Saliya, his son and Ashokamala. Both of them knelt down in veneration, welcoming the King to their forest abode. The King sat on a wooden bench and spread his hands to show the infection. Asokamala touched the hands of the King tenderly and diagnosed the sickness, while the King sat in a meditative mood. He recalled the tenderness of his own Queen, who left him in disgust. She was called Rani or Ranmenika and resembled Asokamala. One by one a series of events flooded his mind. He felt a certain sense of relief seeing Ashokamala. "The herbal gruel is ready," said Ashokamala, calling Saliya to her side. "You had better give it to my father," Saliya said. "This will help you to cure your sickness, I am positive about it, "said Ashokamala handing over the bowl of herbal gruel. The King drank the medicinal gruel with great relish. After a moment he felt sleepy. "Let him sleep in the special chamber prepared for him," said Ashokamala. "You had better tell him," said Saliya. "Please sleep in the chamber prepared for you," she said. The King slept for a few hours. As dusk approached, he got up to see that he was no longer sick. "It's divine medicine," he thought and came out of the chamber to see Saliya and Ashokamala seated outside preparing dinner for the King. "I am completely cured" said the King kissing the forehead of Ashokamala. "I want my son Saliya to be the heir to the throne". "No father living here is better, " said Saliya. |
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"Your son, Great Majesty, is a queer Prince. His behaviour pattern
is quite different from other Princes. He is madly in love with this girl
Ashokamala," said the Chief Advisor.
