This incident happened a little after Karnak was exiled from the ashram. Karnak had travelled to a small town in Aryavart called Rathipur. Rathipur was famous for its Rathis or charioteers. Rathis from Rathipur could charioteer ships that not even the mightiest Acharyas could dare to touch the helms of. It was said that Rathipur was specially blessed by Indr. However, the secret to this special favour was the most strongly guarded secrets of Rathipur.
Karnak was roaming through the forest surrounding Rathipur, enjoying the natural beauty of those regions, when he heard the sound of a woman crying in the distance. Guided by curiosity and a desire to help out, Karnak walked towards the sound only to discover a young girl sitting under a tree and crying by herself. Karnak introduced himself as a travelling ascetic and asked what was wrong and if he could help in any way.
“My name is Suneeti,” the girl said, “and I’ve been given. Today is perhaps the last day of my life and my family has forsaken me. What am I to do, if not cry?”
“Devi,” said Karnak, “while I may be an ascetic, I’ve received education in various forms of warfare. If you would describe your problem to me and if I should find it righteous to protect you, I will do so. Pray, tell me, who or what threatens your life and why has your family forsaken you?”
The girl wiped away her tears with her uttareeya and spoke.
“In these forests that we call the Rathvan, there lives an ascetic named Manojav who is said to be immortal. He has been living here since time immemorial. At least he has been living here since the beginning of recorded history. We do not know whether he is a man or a creature, or merely a machine. He is benevolent and blesses our town with many gifts. However, once a year, the town has to gift him a young girl to assuage his lust. Every year on an appointed day, a young girl is sent into the forest. KR finds her and nobody knows what becomes of her. Some say the girl is raped in a manner unimaginable to cultured folk. Some say he just kills and eats them. Whatever the truth be, my life is over because I am the one who has to go and be his victim tomorrow.”
Karnak was deeply disturbed by this story.
“It is abominable,” he said, “for a town to sacrifice people, that too young helpless girls, no matter how great the rewards be. Has this ascetic, this Manojav threatened to do anything against the town, if the town does not comply?”
“I do not know,” the girl said, “nobody has ever dared to defy him.”
“Do not worry,” Karnak said, “whoever or whatever this ascetic might be, I will protect you. Wipe your tears and go home. I will meet you tomorrow in the forest and will not allow any harm to come to you.”
Karnak was roaming through the forest surrounding Rathipur, enjoying the natural beauty of those regions, when he heard the sound of a woman crying in the distance. Guided by curiosity and a desire to help out, Karnak walked towards the sound only to discover a young girl sitting under a tree and crying by herself. Karnak introduced himself as a travelling ascetic and asked what was wrong and if he could help in any way.
“My name is Suneeti,” the girl said, “and I’ve been given. Today is perhaps the last day of my life and my family has forsaken me. What am I to do, if not cry?”
“Devi,” said Karnak, “while I may be an ascetic, I’ve received education in various forms of warfare. If you would describe your problem to me and if I should find it righteous to protect you, I will do so. Pray, tell me, who or what threatens your life and why has your family forsaken you?”
The girl wiped away her tears with her uttareeya and spoke.
“In these forests that we call the Rathvan, there lives an ascetic named Manojav who is said to be immortal. He has been living here since time immemorial. At least he has been living here since the beginning of recorded history. We do not know whether he is a man or a creature, or merely a machine. He is benevolent and blesses our town with many gifts. However, once a year, the town has to gift him a young girl to assuage his lust. Every year on an appointed day, a young girl is sent into the forest. KR finds her and nobody knows what becomes of her. Some say the girl is raped in a manner unimaginable to cultured folk. Some say he just kills and eats them. Whatever the truth be, my life is over because I am the one who has to go and be his victim tomorrow.”
Karnak was deeply disturbed by this story.
“It is abominable,” he said, “for a town to sacrifice people, that too young helpless girls, no matter how great the rewards be. Has this ascetic, this Manojav threatened to do anything against the town, if the town does not comply?”
“I do not know,” the girl said, “nobody has ever dared to defy him.”
“Do not worry,” Karnak said, “whoever or whatever this ascetic might be, I will protect you. Wipe your tears and go home. I will meet you tomorrow in the forest and will not allow any harm to come to you.”
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