Mutuk Nath

Many years ago, there was a priest at Varanasi, the land of Lord Shiva. His name was Matuk Nath. He was a young man of about forty, but he was still unmarried. He was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva and taken a vow to remain unmarried all his life, as he thought that women were the biggest impediment in man's liberation. However, his parents had tried a lot to get him married, but they had to yield before his obstinacy. After their death, he was as free as a bird. He left his home for good and started wandering from one place to another.

He used to say that man's life is like a river, so he must keep going because when he stops going ahead, his life will stop too. So, he never stopped anywhere for more than one night. Whoever it might be, however powerful he might be, no one could hold him back more than one night. When he felt thirsty, he drank water from flowing rivers. When he felt hungry, he ate grass and leaves like animals, but always remained cheerful and satisfied. If anybody respectfully invited him to their home, he would never say no to them, but would visit them at his own accord, blessed them from outside and went on his way.

He was as innocent and as truthful as a child.

One day he decided to do something such that no one had ever done. He thought and thought and, finally, reached the conclusion that this world is nothing but an illusion and so he should do tapa in order to get a better life in the next world. So, he went to the Himalaya mountain and sat down on a small rock and closed his eyes. As he was highly obstinate, he did not open his eyes. Though sometimes he felt like opening his eyes and all this, but his obstinacy came in the way and he kept on sitting there. His throat dried in thirst, his body dried up, but he did not open his eyes. The bore all the natural hazards sitting over there, but didn't open his eyes. In this way, many years passed. His body dried into a skeleton, and it was then, Lord Brahma appeared before him and asked him to open his eyes. He slowly opened his eyes and what he saw was unable to believe in.

" I'm pleased with you and come to fulfil you wish. Tell me what you want "

Without wasting any moment, Mutuk Nath stood up with folded hands. He tried to speak, but his tongue was not assisting him.

" Tell me what you want. I'll grant you anything you wish for," Lord Brahma assured him.

With great difficulty, he said, " My Lord, I've eaten anything for years, so I'll be grateful to you if you arrange some food for me."

Brahma Ji, spread his hand in the air and immediately a lot of delicious food appeared there. Mutuk Nath ate up all of it in no time.

"Tell me your wish; waste no time, Son, " Brajmaji repeated his words.

"My Lord, as I've not slept for many years; therefore everything appears hazy before me, and at this time, I'm not in a position to know what I want and what don't; so, if you're pleased with me, then arrange a soft bed for me at this very place so that I may have sound sleep without any disturbance. When I wake up and feel the need for your wish, I'll call you."

"So be it, My Son," said Brahmaji and arranged a soft bed for him. He also arranged for his security there before leaving for his abode. He was very happy on the way to have got rid of this man so easily, as whoever he had met earlier, put him and other gods in great difficulties, but this one appeared quite different from all of them as like them he neither wished to be immortal, nor did he crave for the throne of Heaven.

Mutuk Nath slept there as he had never slept before. He slept for twelve days at a stretch. When he awoke, all that had happened before his going to sleep flashed across his mind. Now he was looking more cheerful than before. His countenance was beaming with a starange power. He remembered Lord Brahma and his boon.

"Should I call him and take my boon?" he thought, "But, what shall I ask for? "

He was still not able to know what he wanted. So, he got up and started walking without any fixed destination in his mind. After some days, he reached a strange city with big and beautiful houses but not a single soul living in them. Though it was midday, a death-like silent prevailed everywhere. With a curiosity to know the reason for it he settled down on a small platform built in front of a house.

Hardly had sometimes passed, when the door of the house opened and an old man of about seventy came to him and requested him to quickly go and hide inside the house. Initially, though he didn't agree to go with him, on being assured that they'd tell him everything he wanted to know, he went in. He found four other persons waiting for them. The old man then told him that that if he'd not come in and stayed outside, he'd soon be robbed of his belongings and life both by the army of their neighbouring kingdom, as they had waged a war against their kingdom and had killed or captivated their soldiers They had also captured their king, Veerbhadra Singh, and queen, Deepshikha.

On being asked the reason of this war, he was told that Karan Singh, the king of the neighbouring kingdom, loved their queen, Deepshikha, when she was still a maid and wanted to marry her. He had even proposed her, but because of his evil nature, she didn't accept it. This turned him crazy, but he couldn't forget her. Day by day, his love for her kept on increasing, but he couldn't do anything as long as his father was alive. So, he waited for the right time, which came when his father died last year and was succeeded by him.

By then Deepshikha had been married to Veerbhadra Singh. So, Karan Singh became his biggest enemy and wanted to take revenge on his queen by presenting her the heart of her husband as a gift of turning down his love.

"Can you help us, holy man? Can you bring help for us from anywhere? " they implored him with folded hand. His heart melted to see them in such a miserable condition.

" I 'll try to fetch help for you, but can you give me an empty room here? "

The old man took him to an empty room. Mutuk Nath went in, fastened the door and stood in the centre of the room with folded hands and started chanting the name of Brahma Dev. Hearing his name being called aloud, Brahmaji immediately appeared before him and asked if he had decided what he wanted from him.

Mutuk Nath knew how to use his words as any slip in it would spoil his plan. He said, "My Lord, I was about to make the decision when the cry on the confusion of these people broke my attention and I failed to do that. So Lord, if you solve their problem, I'd be better able to concentrate my mind on it? "

Brahmaji smiled, "What's that?"

Mutuk Nath folded his hands and said, " My Lord, please do something such that Karan Singh, the king of the neighbouring kingdom, completely forgets Deepshikha, the queen of this kingdom, and releases her with her husband without any delay. "

"Only this much, Son? "Brahmaji enquired.

He moved his hand in the air. Soon a flash of light appeared and spread in all the directions.

"I deleted Deepshikha's memory from Karan Singh's brain, now he completely forgot her and released both of them by tomorrow, but till then you all stay at this very place. "

"Thank you, My Lord, " Mutuk Nath expressed his deep gratitude to him and promised him that the next time, he'd surely take his boon from him