RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN—CHAPTER 53
“GIVE ME THE COW OF PLENTY”
Sabala was the cow of plenty. As directed by Vasishtha, Sabala supplied everyone with his heart’s needs. It supplied juice of sugar cane, honey, fried rice, Maireya and such like costly liquor. It also supplied delicious drinks, various kinds of cakes, heaps of hot cooked rice, curious varieties of deliciously prepared food, soups, Dadhikulyas (rice prepared with milk) and countless plates of silver heaped up with various sweet extracts and pies of six different tastes.
The well-fed troops of Visvamitra were rendered happier than before. Such was the grand repast. The royal sage Visvamitra was mightily pleased. He thanked Vasishtha for the kingly repast. “Reverend Sir, right royally have I been entertained by you. I would like to make a humble request. Will you please give me this Sabala of yours and get a hundred thousand cows in exchange? She is a gem, the best of her kind. I need not say she should be with me. And that would be her lawful place. You know best that the best and the rarest product belongs to the king. So give her to me”.
“Hunreds of crores of such cows will not induce me to part with Sabal,” said Vasishtha. “Sabala can’t be removed from me. My offerings to the Gods and the Fathers, to the sacred Fires, visible and invisible, my oblations and my daily sustenance depend on her. It endows me with perfect health and serenity. And she is all in all to me. So I am not in a position to give it to you.”
This certain refusal only heightened the desire of the King. He offered now fourteen thousands of lordly elephants with golden chains. He also offered eight hundred chariots of gold. A thousand and ten high-bred steeds from Kambhoja and Bahlika which trace their pedigree to Uchchaisravas and Gandharvas. One crore of young and healthy kine. Will you take this and give me Sabala?”
But Vasishtha spoke sternly. “You are of matchless wisdom. Sabala shall never be thine. She is my gems. She is my wealth. She is everything to me. She is my very life. You have my last word upon this subject. Everything you offer me I can have by a simple wish. I am not insane to part with her to you.”
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