A Tale Bishweshwar P. Koirala

A Tale

Bishweshwar P. Koirala

Nepal (Translated by Shreedhar Lohani) (1914-1982)

Apply the four level of meaning to the “A Tale”

Literal Comprehension: Long time ago a Stage went into the jungle and began his penance. He lived very difficult and problematic life in the hot summer in the jungle. He sacrificed all homely pleasure, wife, family and friends. After a hard sacrifice he got the state of godhood. He got inner peace so he realized inner brightness. Indra was afraid of his penance and sent a beautiful nymph to destroy his penance. When the stage saw a naked nymph bathing in front of him, his sexual passion couldn’t keep him to be silent. She became his inner peace and beauty of penance. Later they got married and spent domestic life. Although they spend romantic life, his neighbors never forgave them. They always locked them from negative eyes. But, he got the similar experience of god’s bliss in her beauty.

Interpretation: the story is trying to tell us that human beings can break any boundaries and rules to fulfill their physical passion. Sexual desire is the greatest desire, which should be fulfilled rather it can’t be controlled for long time. Again, the sage who rejected everything of the world for getting godhood but sooner he saw the beautiful nymph, his passion strongly arose. This story may be trying to tell us that the state of ecstasy and the enjoyment of highest beauty are same things the sage saw same enjoyment in getting godhood and in facing nymph and her beauty. Moreover, the story is trying to express god message to all people to be dutiful. When we go out of the track. We will ruin ourselves soon.

Critical Thinking: the story writer has written this story with the universal theme that sexual passion is uncontrollable. Sexual passion is natural instinct to human race. Even the gods can’t be free from such passion seeing naked nymphs in front of them but some questions I like to ask here are: Are there gods? How can man sleep onto the ice? Religiously isn’t there any difference between passion and ecstasy? Why does man go to jungle if he gets that ecstasy in home? Still the story writer is successful to show the real human nature and passion.

Assimilation:  After reading this story I remembered the story of Shakuntala by Laxmi Parsad Devkota where Menaka was sent by Indra to disturb the penance of Vishwamitra. I got the answer the question like: why have great sages become victim of passion? Why did old man marry 15 years girl? Why do people do polygamy?, etc. Sexual desire is the greatest desire that can’t be controlled completely was my second learning.