Three Gifted Men

Sham S. Misri

 A rich man had three daughters and a son, The daughters were married to three well to do boys and the son was not married. One day he decided to visit his three sisters to find out their welfare. First he went to his eldest sister and enquired about her welfare. She sighed,” I can’t say that I am very happy”. My husband is very talented and is also very wealthy. He is a gifted archer but there is very little work that he can find. So every morning to keep his skills finely honed, he practices archery using me as his target. He places a bowl on my head and aims at it. I feel quite faint with fear that I may be hurt.” After hearing her story the brother stood up and left the house.

After some days he reached his second sisters house to find about her welfare. When he enquired about her welfare, she burst into tears. “I was very happy at my father’s house.” She wept. “My husband has an extra ordinary gift; He can see what is going on in all the three worlds. But what is the use? He spends the whole day watching the celestial daces in Lord Indira’s court in the heavens and has no time at all for me” Her brother consoled her and promised to do something to change his brother in law. He then left for his younger sister’s house.

Here also he found his sister unhappy. His sister told him that her husband is talented but he does not know how to use his talent. She told her brother that her husband runs faster than wind, but does not know how to use this skill,” explained the girl. “Every morning he runs from one pilgrim centre to another all over the country and lights lamps at all the temples he visits. He returns home late at night and is so exhausted that he has no time to talk to me.” She sighed heavily. The brother then left his sister’s home and went back to his home. After consulting his parents, he invited his sisters and their husband’s home for a few days.

 On a fixed day the girls along with their husbands reached their fathers home. “I have heard you are all very well talented” he told his brothers in law. “Yet I find you do not make proper use of your talents.. If you would take the trouble of visiting the neighboring kingdom and meeting the king, you may benefit from that exercise.” The brothers in law agreed and left for the neighboring kingdom. When they reached the neighboring kingdom they lodged with an old woman. The three men were surprised to find that all the men and women that they came across in that city looked worried and sad.. They asked the old woman, “Grandmother, Why do all of you look so sad?. What is worrying you.”

The old woman replied, “My sons, you little know how uncertain our future is. Our king is childless, and his health is deteriorating day by day. He has been advised by his physician to name his successor and train him in the ways of administration. Although there are capable people who can be trained to be a ruler, our king has chosen not to pick any of them. He has set an impossible task and says only the one who can complete that task can succeed him”

“Tell me, What is task?” asked the eldest of the three gifted men..

“The king says that the one who brings him a handful of fresh devaparijata flowers will be made the king,” said the old woman.

“Devaparijata flowers!” The three men asked. Puzzled. “What are they?” Where do they grow?”

“They are rare flowers and the nearest shrub that bears them is more than a thousand miles away from here. They fade away within few hours of blooming. How can flowers brought from such a distance remain fresh till they are handed over to the king over here?”

The three men discussed the issue. At last there was an opportunity to put their talents to use. So, they went up to the king and said, “We can bring the fresh devaparijata flowers, your majesty.”

“By all means, my boys!” replied the king. “You are welcome to try your luck!” Then the three went out of the city. The man with the extraordinary vision looked all around and pointed his finger in one direction. “There it is the devaparijata shrub.  I am able to see it. It is in a garden that is beyond a forest two thousand miles away from here.”

“Thanks, my friend,” said the man who ran faster than the wind. “It is now my turn to prove my mettle. I shall get there and be back in no time at all.” He started on his way and was soon out of sight. But the one with an extraordinary vision kept an eye on him all the time. “He has plucked the flowers!” he narrated excitedly, just a few moments after the man had left. “He has started back and is now entering the forest. Oh no! A tiger is stalking him. It is now catching up with him. What shall he do?”

“Don’t worry! “ That was the archer, who was now alert. “Just point out the exact direction where the tiger is and I will shoot arrows at him.”

It was soon done. A few minutes after the arrows were shot, the man with the vision said,” Ah your arrow has found its mark. The tiger has fallen dead.”

    No sooner had he finished saying that than the runner was back with the fresh fragrant devaparijata flowers. They went to the king and offered him the flowers.

“Which one of you is responsible for bringing these flowers?” the king said. They replied, “All three of us had pooled  our talents”

The king was in a fix. He did not know which of the three could be made the next king. The king told them to choose as to who should be made the king. The three brothers in law discussed the issue. They decided that though they were gifted but they never had the capacity to use their talent in a proper manner.  It was only their wives brother (the rich man’s son) who showed such capacity. They went to the king and told him the whole story. They told the king that it was only their brother in law who deserved to be the king because he was wise enough to know how best to use the potential of each man. The king called him and made him the king.