THE emperor of all the realms stood long before a
hut.
He hesitated, then knocked timidly at the door. The
hut was a mean flimsy thing which shut out the wholesome light and air and
afforded no real resting place or shelter. It was full of cobwebs and noisome
things that flitted to and fro or crept on the ground.
The inmate shifted uneasily from one room to
another in dread of them. He had no real rest or comfort, but sometimes a gleam
of sunshine would peep or a whiff of wind would pass through and he would say,
“How happy am I in this hut”! And thus he clung to his hut. Taken up with his
own fears and fancies, the inmate heard not the knock at the door. But it grew
so loud and insistent that perforce he had to open the door.
And lo! the emperor of all the realms stood before
him.
“I thought I heard you call me and I came,” said
the emperor of all the realms.
Said the inmate abashed, “I know you not and I
called you not.”
The emperor sighed and the light of sorrow and
heaviness came into His eye, but withal succeeded a gleam of infinite
tenderness and hope.
He smiled softly, ah so softly, and the changing
lights of His eyes held the man.
And the man trembled violently and faltered, “Yes,
I did call you!”
A radiance came over the emperor and He cried, “I
was right after all! Why did you call me?”
“I recognised the emperor, and this hut and myself
are thine. I wished to offer them to you,” said the man.
The emperor laughed and said: “I had sworn an oath
not to enter unbidden the house of anyone who did not call me. You and I were
eternal friends. You forget it. I waited long ages at your door, but you never
called me until I grew afraid you would be lost to me forever. I wanted the
least excuse to love Me, but you never granted it. I had to resort to this
trick!”
Violent sobs shook the man. He fell at the feet of
the emperor and cried, “What is this servant of Thine that Thou shouldst take
so much care of him? Alas, that I should put my Lord to this trouble to take
back what has been His all along!”
And the emperor lovingly stooped, raised the man
and embraced him.
When the inmate raised his head, the hut was gone
and the sun streamed in his face and the fresh air. l
1 Based up on Verse
140 of Manickavachagar’s “Thirukkovai” and the word “Priyakrit” in Vishnu
Sahasranama.