Bhasmasura Hastham
By Shri Jayanthi Prakash Sarma
(Translated by Dr Suguna Kannan)
Suryam saw an auto rickshaw stop in front of his house and was pleasantly surprised to see his mother get down from it carrying a VIP shoulder bag. He rushed forward with conflicting emotions (joy as well as bewilderment) racing through his mind at her sudden arrival. As he took the bag from her shoulder, he said, “What a surprise! What’s with this sudden trip? I could have picked you up at the station!”
Alerted by his loud welcome, his wife Sundari emerged from the kitchen, to receive and welcome her mother-in-law, while inquiring about their relatives. “Hello, Naamma!” greeted the two teenage grandchildren before returning to the games on their mobiles.
Subhadramma returned their greetings and as she moved towards the backyard calling out to Sundari, “I will just freshen up and come. Please make me some strong coffee!”.
Subhadramma had two daughters and three sons; her husband had passed away while her eldest daughter was still in high school. She had no support but with the good will garnered by her husband’s charitable acts as well as her own amiable nature, she managed to raise her children and mould them into good citizens of the society. All the children were well settled and lived in different places due to the compulsions of their employment. Subhadramma used to visit them by turns and all were equally caring of her needs and comforts. All the children wanted to shield her from the hassles of frequent travels so affectionately urged her to settle down in one place. They assured her that wherever she may decide to stay, they would visit her regularly.
“As long as my body permits, let me orbit around like the planets! If you are fortunate and I am lucky, my release will be quick, without being shackled to the bed. Otherwise you can place the bed wherever you people want!” was her humorous reply always.
Subhadramma was averse to the idea of using a phone. If she needed to convey any news, she would write a letter. When she wanted to visit any of the children, she would drop a letter a week ahead of her trip, giving the date of her arrival as also details of the train or bus by which she was coming. Such a methodical person arriving without prior notice was very perplexing but Suryam was not bold enough to ask her directly.
“Arrey! Where is your trunk?” Suryam asked his mother, who was drinking coffee.
“Don’t you all tease me that I am stuck in the Stone age while the World is rapidly hurtling into the Space age so I got this shoulder bag instead of the trunk. Your elder brother-in- law bought it for me.” Suryam started laughing.
“You may laugh but remember that the trunk is actually older than me. It was part of my mother’s trousseau and my mother gave it to me as part of my trousseau! On my first trip to your father’s home, we boarded the train at Rajahmundry with this trunk. There were no vacant seats and you know, it that trunk on which we sat all the way to Vizianagaram - a full six hours journey. It was then that I understood the value of the trunk! Can you sit on this glamorous shoulder bag? Tell me”, said his mother with a faraway nostalgic look in her eyes.
She continued reminiscing, “Once when you were very young, some thieves came into our house one night. They searched the whole house but they overlooked the trunk from my maternal home. It was good that they did so, otherwise we would have lost the silver plates, silver glasses and a double stranded gold chain that were stored in it. I don’t know what they were thinking of but they never touched this trunk! There are many tales that I can narrate about the history and greatness of this trunk….” concluded Subhadramma.
This was what Suryam loved about his mother – she had sound philosophical reasons to support her beliefs and they were irrefutable. Even the wisest scholar would be forced to accept her arguments.
She continued, “A few days ago, I noticed that it was rusty, may be due to the humidity of the sea breeze. It has lasted so long only because it was made of iron forged in the olden days. I have given it for repair and painting. Meanwhile this trip came up so your brother-in-law bought this bag for me. It’s quite nice with wheels and handle for pulling but the poor porters, they are losing their livelihood due to these suitcases and kitbags with wheels.”
Suddenly Suryam remembered that in the modern world everyone manages their own luggage, even the larger pieces, without depending on porters. He had only been happy with the convenience and money saved but had never thought of it from the perspective that his mother now presented.
Meanwhile his mother had finished her coffee and walked into the kitchen. “The cleverness of the present generation is responsible for the loss of their health, my boy!” she chuckled as she collected the vegetables from the fridge, settled down to cut them and continued, “All the new inventions are designed to save your energy and give a lot of free time. And, what do you do with this extra time you have? You waste it on the phone, computer or television!” Sundari, who was listening to her, remained silent out of respect and also because she could not think of a suitable rejoinder.
“I face the same problem; I have no work in any of the homes I go to. I only have to chatter some trivial nonsense or answer questions. Earlier, I used to make cotton wicks for the lamps and at least my fingers got some exercise. Now even those wicks are available and purchased along with provisions”, Subhadramma concluded.
Suryam, eavesdropping on this conversation from the verandah, realized that his mother was not her usual cheerful self. Maybe she had faced some problem in his sister’s house? He decided to ask her later at an appropriate time. Two days passed by.
When Suryam returned from office on the third day, he found Subhadramma packing her clothes in her VIP bag. “Tomorrow I am going to your brother’s house in Vizianagram! You just drop me at the bus stand, in the morning, I can manage on my own,” she said.
On hearing those words, Suryam was dismayed. Usually whenever she came, she would stay for 3 to 4 months. He was worried that something was amiss. He went to the bedroom and asked his wife about it who said, “Nothing happened but she has been looking a little dispirited from the time she came. She is not her usual self and I am too scared to ask her about it”.
Suryam started thinking seriously. He had never seen his mother getting angry with anyone or being dejected. She was very affectionate and everyone respected her. It was strange to see his normally genial mother looking so grave…something was wrong. He decided to wait for an opportune moment to probe.
After dinner, he sat beside her and asked gently, “Why are you in such a hurry to leave, Mumma? Are you upset with any of us?“
“No... nothing like that! If I go to your brother’s house, I’ll be able to occupy myself easily.”
“But why? Our home is the same, unchanged - same house and same people so what is the new problem?”
“True! Problem has arisen only now and I do not want it to escalate further. Gradually conditions are changing and I do not think I will be able to adjust to the changes easily.”
“What happened? Did someone say something to offend you?” puzzled Suryam asked.
“No one has said anything! Once upon a time, my grandchildren would be all around me and we used to exchange stories and little snippets about what had happened during the day. Do you remember? Now, they are busy talking or playing on their mobiles so much so that they have even forgotten to play. You both sit in front of the TV or are lost in your thoughts. I find it difficult to pass time”.
Suryam heaved a sigh of relief and tried to pacify his mother, “They are older now… today’s children have different interests and a variety of issues to deal with. Their world is theirs alone…after all it is the computer age!”
“I agree, but the computer is not greater than a man’s wisdom. Don’t forget that the computer was invented by a man! The computer and technology have become like Bhasmasura’s hand”.
Surprised at this, Suryam looked at his mother quizzically.
“Don’t you remember the story of Bhasmasura from our epics? Shiva granted the demon Bhasmasura the power to combust anyone to ashes by the mere touch of his hand. Bhasmasura then turned upon Shiva wanting to test his newly acquired power. If you think about it, the computer is a reincarnation of that Bhasmasura.”
“OMG! You are unbelievable and your theory is hilarious!” Suryam started laughing.
“Your sister and brother-in-law also laughed uproariously, when I shared this idea with them. But think seriously! These computers and mobiles created by man are very useful! I do not deny that! But you are all overusing it! The consequences of this are there before you but you do not want to accept it”!
In his wildest dreams, Suryam had not imagined that his mother could talk like this. He had always assumed that his mother was carefree and content to be busy with her chores and prayers. He was surprised that she could think so deeply and analyze the present-day situation so astutely.
“Tell me Suryam”, she continued, “Do you and your family ever sit down together and share any of your news with each other? Do you all sit together as a family and chit chat over a meal? At one time, we used to put our cots out under the moonlight and chatter endlessly as we drifted off into dreamland. During daytime, when the menfolk went to work, the neighbourhood women would gather at one place, read magazines or chat with each other! All those activities used to establish and strengthen the bonds between people but where do you find such situations in the present-day world? How will the bonds form?” she asked.
“As soon as children can toddle, they are sent off to school. In those schools, their sensitive brains are filled with knowledge, unsuitable for their age. The children are being deprived of the stories and games appropriate to their age. Parents have no time to show affection, support or respect! No one even thinks about it. The gap between people is increasing daily due to this Bhasmasura’s weapon!”
Suryam was stunned by his mother’s thought process. He had always assumed that she read books and magazines for time pass. Today he was fascinated to see how seriously she had studied the contents of those printed matter, analyzed the conditions and inferred its impact on future.
“In our days, our only problems were …inadequate salaries, large families, insufficient food, illness of elders, taking loans and struggling to repay them. We struggled with problems when we were younger so when we had children, we said to ourselves ‘why should our children struggle as we did’? We shielded them from problems and tried to give them a carefree life. That has become a curse. The very concept of problem has changed in the modern world. Everything is a problem - mother’s correction, father’s scolding, teacher’s discipline at school, power cut or television break down. And if the blasted telephone lines are down, it becomes a calamity! People are ready to mortgage themselves to get these gadgets. All have become mentally weak so it is natural that minor problems appear huge and insurmountable,” concluded his mother.
“What you say is correct! The World itself has changed! So, what can we do?” Suryam replied in a low voice, unable to refute his mother’s arguments.
He was a little worried by his mother’s reply, “That is why I have reached a decision!”
“Don’t look so worried! Nothing serious”, she patted him and continued.
“We have to strike at the root of the problem. I am not highly educated but I can teach children a few useful life skills. I read in the newspaper about this program in Rajasthan, Tamilnadu and Noida, where the Government has invited grandmothers for storytelling sessions in government schools. We need to realize that ‘Whatever we do today is directly proportional to what will happen to us tomorrow. So, we should sow what we want to reap’ and mould the future generation as needed. I plan to return to our village and once a week, go to your old school and meet the children there. I plan to tell them stories, talk to them about what is right and what is wrong so as to instill values of honesty and integrity. I wrote to the school authorities; the Collector himself has given his consent for the sessions. I will do this as long as I am physically fit. Whenever you people feel like seeing me, you can visit me.”
Suryam was speechless and his eyes were moist as he watched his mother filling her bag with children’s storybooks - Panchatantra, Jataka Tales, Vikramarka and Pedarasi Peddamma Kathalu and other books from his childhood.
He remembered that it was Vishnu, who had taken the Mohini avatar, to rescue Shiva from Bhasmasura’s weapon. For a moment he saw the Mohini Avatar in his mother.
*****
Footnote: In Hindu mythology, there was a demon or asura called Bhasmasura, who after intense penance acquired from Lord Shiva a boon that enabled him to combust into bhasma or ashes anyone by touching their head. The demon wanted to test the boon on Shiva himself so Lord Vishnu had to assume the female avatar of Mohini and trick him into immolating himself.
Ref: Ayyakoneru Gattu Kadalu - Anthology of stories - June 2020
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