Guru Dakshina

Guru Dakshina

A Malayalam story  by

  Shahul Malayil

An attempt   to retell by

P.R.Ramachander

(I am simply  am incapable   of retelling  the great story .With  eyes full of tears “great  thanks Shahul , You made me feel  like a human being” )

Vishnu  the  brightest student ,

In my class   approached   me  ,

And said  “Teacher  I need ,

Thousand   rupees urgently.”

I was wondering   what to do,

And the teacher in the next class,

Warned me not to pay, but he,

Asked me again ,”Please pay me “

I did  but I did not Vishnu   for quite some time,

And One day , I saw him loading a truck with fire wood,

I called  him and came near  me and told  ,

Teacher do not worry , “I will pay your money back”

I said to him , “Vishnu  , that  is not important  ,

You are a brilliant boy , Why are you not coming to school?”

He smiled   and said, “I took money from you  the other day,

To  treat  my mother , who was sick , She died that day.”

“I am now alone with my sister  and I manage  to feed her,

And I am saving some  money   to pay you , I am sorry teacher”

I told him to meet me next day    and I told him to  continue ,

His studies  and I used  to pay him for his classes and for their food ”

I knew after school  , he worked hard and he got first rank that year.

And after  a few years, My husband called  me to be with him ,

In the middle east and I deposited   some  money for Vishnu’s,

Expenses and left and after  another ten years my husband died.

My children did not want  to keep me   with them    and admitted,

Me  in an old age home in my native place and I  started enjoying ,

That life too   and one day  our manager   came and told me  ,

That I had a visitor and I was surprised to see a  rich handsome man.

He told me , “Mummy teacher  , do  you not   recognize me ,

I am your Vishnu   and I am now  not only your   Vishnu  ,

But also your son Doctor Vishnu  and now you are   shifting   to my home,

With me and my wife and mother  humble request ,”you should never cry”