Sunday Parable

Royal varaka eater

By Prof. Sunanda MAHENDRA

The king of the country was quite concerned about the ancestral jack tree that grew up as a monumental tree in the royal park. He knew how the jak fruits, especially the ripe ones, varaka, tasted. His father who ruled before him too liked varaka. When the royal gardener informed the king about the new varaka, the king was more than happy. He ordered: "No one should be allowed to enter that area. Anyone who enters the area should be punished." The royal proclamation was carried on. Then the King added further.

"I am much concerned about this Varaka. So see that it is covered by a cloth or some other way." A day passed when the meeting of the court jesters took place in the royal court. One of the royal court jesters settled in a far off place, knew about Varaka in the royal garden.

"Oh it has a fine aroma. It must be a delicious fruit. If at all I have the chance to eat it I will be the happiest man on earth." The court jester looked up at the varaka and felt his tongue gradually swaying to taste it. He looked at all directions for any onlooker, especially the gardener. But he knew the gardener would not expect him for his intimate relations with the king. The court jester inched forward to the jak tree stood. He took his ester uniform out and dressed like a civilian.

The court jester cut half of the varaka with a small knife. He tasted the Varaka portion without getting down to the foot of the tree. He seemed to have enjoyed the fruit so much that he wanted to eat more and more. But he was scared within until he came down to put on his uniform. He paid attention to the meeting as if nothing had happened and within a few minutes, the gardener showed up and murmured something at the king's ear.

The meeting was called off and the king was after the culprit. The gardener did not need to pinpoint at a particular person, but he felt something fishy about the distant jester.

What happened brought bewilderment to all the jesters because the distant jester was arrested. The royal physician confirmed that jester had eaten the varaka. Then the king passed a verdict: "He may be a royal court jester. But this is definitely a breach of the royal order. As such he should be whipped hundred times and imprisoned." The court jester started laughing as loud as possible making the palace reverberate with his sound in a sing song manner, to much surprise of the king.

"Ha... Ha... Ha... this is a king. Is this a punishment? Who gives a punishment for whom for whose benefit?" Cried the court jester. The king wanted to find out what's funny with his verdict.

"Great Majesty? Am I permitted to speak a few words before I am whipped for a so called offence?" "Yes you are allowed to carry on." "Please have a careful audience, Great Majesty," started on the jester, "I have a great respect for your late father for his just rule. But now I have my doubts if you are his own son. Is this the severe punishment only because I ate a small portion of Varaka? If that is so, I can imagine what the people would start saying about your rule. They would definitely take you as a king who gave hundred whip lashes just for having eaten a small portion of a varaka. I felt sorry to think of such a public verdict in future. I felt sorry for you, Great Majesty." The king was abashed about his error of judgment. So he altered the royal judgment: "Release this man at once. Allow him to eat the rest of the jak fruit. And allow him to eat it with the other jesters.

All the jesters made their way slowly to the royal park.

(This is a variation of an actual event linked to Kandyan kingdom)